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Sarah Frater's rating
, Slim pickings in The Rite Of Spring
By
Sarah Frater
9 Nov 2009
Apart from Swan Lake, The Rite of Spring is probably the best-known ballet music there is.
Its radicalism, both musical and choreographic, caused an infamous theatre punch-up at its premiere, although this could have been connived by Serge Diaghilev, who commissioned Stravinsky and Nijinsky to create the piece.
Either way, it’s been irresistible to choreographers ever since who are lured by its glamorous iconoclasm and exotic originators.
Michael Keegan-Dolan is the latest to try his hand, although he is one of the least successful. The problem is that his choreography doesn’t come close to catching the thundering terror of the music. Rite was written as a dance score. There’s no dialogue or lyrics, meaning the choreography is the language that tells the story.
It’s not enough that we know what happens, or that Rae Smith’s designs are cleverly menacing — her hare masks for the women and hound masks for the men are especially scary. Setting the piece in a modern-day but seemingly backward country is also successfully unnerving.
Dance-wise it’s slim pickings. Keegan-Dolan creates vigorous enough moves but his steps carry little narrative detail and the final dance for the Chosen One is a damp squib.
Anyone who’s seen his work at the Barbican will be baffled, as he’s proved himself capable of choreography resonant with meaning.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (2)
I, unfortunately, saw this last night (14/11) when there was no scenery malfunction - how I wish the curtain had failed to rise and we were spared what took place on stage. My first reaction was to call the Child Protection Agency to complain about the children in the production being exposed to what happened on stage, particularly the final tableau where Bluebeard/Fritzel was obviously about to plunge his cavalry sabre into the soprano's vagina, who could possibly have allowed this and how was it explained to the four toddlers? The way in which the conductor &/or stage manager milked the tepid applause also left a very bad taste in the mouth!
- Kj, London, 11/11/2009 10:17
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"Duke Bluebeard's Castle" was sung and acted in exquisite fashion with each level of the story drawing you deeper and deeper into the morbidity of Bluebeards inner pscyche. The set malfunction unfortunately caused an unncecessary pause in holding the audience and a few sniggers.
"The Rite of Spring" was bravely conveyed in a libidinous writhing dance fashion with the superb dog and hare masks making the whole thing very sinister.
What did stand out for me in "The Rite of Spring" was the startling contrasts between the scences of rape, nudity and orgy and the innocent "Boy" Nathan Attard running about on stage performing his duties with exquisite clarity... He certainly added a different level to the whole performance.
- Joe K, London, 10/11/2009 11:16
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