CLAP AT THE END

LEST WE FORGET · 08/09/2015 

ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET (Liam Scarlett, Russel Maliphant & Akram Khan)

I really don´t know what Jonathan Gray (Editor of the Dancing Times Magazine) will say about this, but I would dare say it´s probably one of the best pieces of the season. It was touching, hypnotic and powerful, and as the lights turned back on again and I turned around to see the audience´s reaction I discovered some of them were in tears, that was it´s impact on the people who had had the great pleasure of seeing this ballet.

Some time ago I read an interview to Vadim Muntagirov, he used to dance for the English National Ballet. He complaint about not having the chance to dance other choreographies but the classics, and having to rehearse over and over again the same pieces, which in a way it´s true, the ENB hasn´t got the resources of the ROH, where he has moved, so they can´t offer their audience different ballets throughout the same week. But Soon enough they´ll have their own headquarters in Canary Wharf and they are betting for the best choreographers already. Last season they showed Modern Masters, which was absolutely stunning , with pieces by Jiri Kylian, John Neumeier and William Forsythe, and now commissioning Liam Scarlett, Russel Maliphant and Akram Khan to bring us Lest We Forget. I would´t be surprised if Muntagirov regreted having left at least a little bit.

Image by Alice Pennefather

Lest We Forget tells us about the tragedy and misfortunes of the World War I. Liam Scarlett´s is the first piece of the triple bill, he is an amazing storyteller and he focuses on how the war reorganised society to allow women to change their roll in it. They stopped being mere housewives to work in factories and take the roles the men had left vacant. He portrays the wait of these women for their men, their brothers, their sons their husbands...

The set by Jon Bausor reveals a dirty and dusty ammunition factory, divided in two main areas connected by stairs with a ramp in between: one front stage free of any atrezzo which allows dancers perform in big groups and a second at the back of the stage which displays a number of women executing monotonous industrial movements.

Image by ASH

I must take the chance to highlight Crystal Costa´s performance, it was her debut in this role and she was beyond brilliant. Keep an eye on her, because she was so sharp in her technique and yet so expressive, she definitely touched me.

Image by Emma Kauldhar

The second piece is Maliphant´s creation for this topic Second Breath, which I presume must have been quite a challenge for him, as his style is quite abstract, and this time he had a theme to develop. The music by Andy Cowton makes the audience´s heartbeat synchronise and that makes gets us involved in the performance. It´s amazing how the music choice can make the piece work as a whole and get the audience to feel what the dancers are trying to communicate.

Image by John Ross

The last of the choreographies of the night totally struck me. The lighting becomes a key element and I would think the people who saw this performance at the Glastombury Festival last summer missed that dramatic quality. 

Image by ASH

Akram Khan´s creation Dust is fluid and which includes several of his signature movements, blending traditional indian steps with contemporary dance. He understands how to use set and lighting to favor his dancers´ movements. The set is simple, some sort of hill at the back of the stage but the lighting completes it. Sander Loonen (set design) and Fabiana Piccioli (lights) must have worked closely together to come up with this environment of loss and hopelessness. The costumes by Kimie Nakano were earthy and wavy, which gave Khan´s steps that fluidity but at the same time that industrial look. It all worked beautifully together, and then there was the music by Jocelyn Pook, so enveloping and passionate, I´m sure it highly contributed to generate those tears in some of those audience members´ eyes. 

When all of those elements work that well together you´re looking to nothing but PERFECTION.