An American in Paris

When my parents first got a video player in amongst the Carry On movies was a healthy collection of musicals. From big names like South Pacific, The King and I and West Side story to less familiar ones like Gigi and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers I loved them all. So when La La Land came out I was excited, finally another great musical to add to my back catalogue, but I was disappointed, checking my watch throughout. It had potential, but the singing felt weak, it relied on one song throughout and the dancing was not up to scratch, it left me wanting to go home and raid my collection of Golden Era musicals.

But yesterday was a different story, I finally got to see An American in Paris, created for the stage from the original Gershwin film (not one I have seen) and I was beyond excited. From the minute I heard the production was being put together I couldn't wait to see it, it was a long wait from the opening in Paris, through the Broadway run and US tour before it finally hit the London West end stage, but it was worth it. 

From the first sight of the poster I had a feeling this was going to be a musical I would love, well before any of the awards were won, I had my eye on a ticket. So last night we took our seats in the stalls with an empty stage and a single piano set ready for magic. It was a classic musical story, with love at its, core but of course it wasn't simple, there were turns and troubles on the way and the ending? Well check out the poster and you'll figure it out.

Part of my excitement was the involvement of Christopher Wheeldon, I love his ballets and I was excited to see what he had done with an American in Paris. The choreography had his distinctive touch, but with the classic musical elements firmly in place, all beautifully danced by Leanne Cope and Robert Fairchild and the cast around them. The dancing felt natural within the story, one of the advantages of a musical set around a ballet company and a cafe with a piano. 

Despite never having seen the film, we found many old favourites in the score, I Got Rhythm, S'Wonderful, I'll Build a stairway to Paradise and You Can't Take That Away From Me. The score carried you through the evening, set change were seamlessly carried out by the cast, often a dance in themselves. The design was fresh, clean and bright from the costumes to the set, the team managed to keep it modern without losing the post-war chic. I would have happily paid to watch the second ballet as part of any triple bill and the girls costumes were among some of my favourite ballet costumes. 

An American in Paris is truly a trip back to the Golden Era, I danced my way home on a musical high (ignoring the sideways glances of my fellow commuters), still singing the songs and my review summary is shamelessly stolen from the words of Ira Gershwin, the evening was 'S'wonderful! S'marvellous!'

Broken. Motionhouse

A colleague had to give up tickets for Broken thanks to a work trip. Although contemporary is not really my thing I always like to try new things so headed off to opening night with a friend who is a fan of all things contemporary.

First up the 'music' or as we both agreed noise. It simply felt computer generated and didn't really drive the production forward. But put that aside the production was a series of disjointed scenes. Each scene incorporated nature breaking down from rock structures to volcanoes to caves to an earthquake, the difficulty being that it felt like the scenes were trying to tell a story but just didn't.

In each section the dancers worked with the amazing animations using poles and straps to add an extra dimension to the gymnastic movement. However, at times I felt the dancers distracted from the animations which seemed to move with the sound track instead of against it. The movements seemed jerky and although clearly required strength and skill, you could see the workings rather a smooth movement which would have drawn you in. There was often too much going on at any one time to allow you to focus or take it in and an over reliance on repetition became dull. I also found the exaggerated turn-in difficult and at times a  unattractive angle, although I accept they weren't striving for turn out to me it felt awkward.

All being said there were some good moments particularly the segment where the guys wore head lamps and the girls came in and out of the backdrop. We were also incredibly impressed at the precision the dancers used when interacting with the backdrop and animations. They seemed to hit the right spot every time, right on cue which really made a difference. Others in the audience seemed to love it with whooping and cheering but our overarching opinion was that it hadn't been a wasted evening but we probably wouldn't put this at the top of our watch list again.

Mr Wonderful: a celebration of dance

It's been a while since I was here but last night I went to Sadler's Well to see Mr Wonderful, an evening of dance in celebration of the life of dancer Jonathan Ollivier and I was inspired to write again.

I'm often cautious about new ballet, I struggle with the more abstract contemporary pieces. However, this evening had a programme and cast you couldn't miss and was truly a showcase of the wonderful world of dance as well as celebration of male dancers.

Matthew Bourne hosted the evening with warmth and humour. Holding the variety of pieces together he drew us through Ollivier's life in dance. Opening with an excerpt from Bourne's Sleeping Beauty you soon saw the theatrical nature of the night ahead. So highlights?

Mr Wonderful was revived after 25 years a fun humorous piece and hard to believe the dancers put it back together with just 2 rehearsals.

Rambert School's Gypsy Souls, a whirling group of gypsies took over the stage and brought a smile to our faces. Hats off to the dancers who lost his bandana and proceeded to dance with it in his hand, not missing a beat.

Given how often I listen to Paganini it is no surprise to find Marcelo Gomes and Charles Yang's piece next in my list. Gomes and Yang sparked off each other, leading each other on to the end, the dancing and playing both outstanding. I'll be watching The Royal Ballet's Rhapsody through different eyes next week.

I had never heard of the Michael Clark Company before this evening. They brought Bowie and Ballet together with strong striped blazers and a man on pointe shoes. The company brought attitude and I will be booking to see more from them.

Ollivier was a great mentor, inspiring many young dancers and especially boys. It was touching to have the boys from Re:Bourne join the programme to perform Tidal. The ebb and flow of the company bringing the sea to life.

To be honest the whole night was a highlight but the evening went out on high with excerpts from Bourne's Swan Lake. The men brought strength and grace to the lake with powerful performances, I'm sure there was a bit of black Swan in all of them. In a touching finish the cast crept back on the stage to watch a film of Ollivier performing The Swan ending with cast audience in a well deserved standing ovation.

There's always something about a gala, seeing smaller pieces less often performed and all the best bits of the bigger ballets. This gala had something else. A spirit and a joy that brought the ballet to life and made sure I'll be heading back to the barre and to see more from the companies on stage.

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Cassandra

So it's been a long time since I posted here. I wrote up my last Royal Opera House visit for work, do have a read here and let me know your thoughts: http://www.auroracomms.com/communications/ballet/.

Rodin, Eifman Ballet, Coliseum

I went to this ballet with anticipation but no real expectations. Sitting in the stalls, I was able to take in the beauty of the Coliseum as a theatre. I was excited at the prospect of seeing a company that is new to me, my first Russian ballet company.

I bought a programme but didn't read it until after the performance, so I based my understanding of the story on the Metro article from this morning. This was a ballet to watch from the stalls, or at least the front row of the lower circle, the faces are key. There wasn't a pointe shoe in sight and this was refreshing, allowing the dancers to move soundlessly. Sitting close to the stage you could see every tiny movement and their technique was amazing.

It was an emotional rollercoaster, tears welled up and I laughed. I loved the blend of ballet and something verging on musical theatre, bringing light and shadow to the piece. However, I missed live music, the Coliseum sound system sounded tinny, but I got my ear in eventually. The score blended seamlessly with the dancers into a great artistic piece.

I was disconcerted at first by scenes from a mad house and I took a while to unpick Rose from Camille, reading the programme first would probably have helped on this point. I loved the moments when dancers became marble, sculpted into sometimes unbelievable shapes their discipline was incredible. I felt that by act two the process of creating a sculpture was lost and the poster piece, the Gates of Hell was skated over and lost. That said my colleague felt it was a natural evolution of the piece.

I was impressed by the simplicity of the sets and the way the corp blended in and out of the backdrop. The mental institute scene at the end dropped like a bombshell, much as I guess Camille may have felt, a surreal experience in the realism of a studio.

I felt the ending was abrupt I wanted more... But I'll be back to see the Eifman Ballet, their technique was incredible. I've read the programme, I caught the key points without it. I say beg, borrow or steal ticket but be sure you can see their faces.

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Some ROH trips and Rhapsody / Tetracyts Art of Fugue / Gloria

Having been to the Royal Opera House four weeks out of six this year I'm finally getting around to blogging. Two performances of Giselle have been my definite highlight Steven McRae gave a shining crisp performance of Albrecht dancing with Roberta Marquez. I couldn't miss Marianela Nunez and Thiago Soares in Giselle so I went back for an emotional matinee performance, reinforcing why I can't miss seeing a cast with this pairing at least once in a run. I went back to see Liam Scarlett's Hansel & Gretel again in the Linbury, I was excited to see James Hay dancing the role of Hansel and I wasn't let down. I had hoped to get a seat in the main arena but ended up back on the stage side seating where I sat last year. However, the staging had been changed for this second time out and now I can say that this is a ballet 'in the round' or at least with two sides. Other outstanding performances from Ryoichi Hirano dancing the role of the witch again, Donald Thom as the Sandman, not a bringer of dreams and Bennet Gartside as the father, a man at the end of his tether. 

We also headed to the Opera for my Grandparent's diamond wedding anniversary and my grandmother's 80th birthday. Carmen was the pick of the night and we ate in the Amphitheatre restaurant before and were very well looked after by the staff. Now it's safe to say that my grandmother and boyfriend's mother were the only people in our party of eight that were really genuinely excited to be at the opera, the rest of us were only sure that we would see some great performances. By the end of the evening we were converted, a truly fabulous evening with familiar melodies, lovely staging and beautiful performances. So my Royal Opera House budget is going to go out the window this year.

Most recently mum and I headed back for another Saturday matinee to see the latest triple bill. We picked our performance to see James Hay and Francesca Hayward debut in Ashton's Rhapsody and treated ourselves to front row of the orchestra stalls. Set to Rachmaninoff's Preludes on a Theme of Paganini with a backdrop that had note of a Turner the moment the curtain rose we were on tenterhooks. The whole piece is carried by the central couple and the man in particular and James was amazing straight out of the box. We hadn't seen Francesca dance before but she gave a stunning performances, incredibly light and as a pair they shared great chemistry and performed with a sparkle. But not to forget the strong team supporting them the six couples dancing as the corps were beautiful, not distracting from James and Francesca but complementing them beautifully. The whole cast deserved the rousing applause they received as the curtain came down. 

Next up was Wayne McGregor's new 'company' work for twelve dancers and the casting was impressive although a shame to see the piece relying on so many principals and not making the most of the company's full range of dancers. I read the programme and had read some interviews ahead of the performance so I knew a little about it but was confident in the work of McGregor not mention the dancers he had collected on stage. However, I was lost by the dark lighting, the mathematical patterns were a distraction and at times there was too much going on for the eye to take in. The flexibility of the cast was astounding as they bent into a number of shapes, however by the end I was waiting for the dancing to start and felt cold. The costumes were not my favourite, at times see through and on occasion ill fitting and I failed to see why on a dark stage with a black background it made sense to dress a dancer in an all black unitard. It was sad that due to injury and illness the performance couldn't take place in the afternoon, but i'm not sure I would go back to it again although I would love to see Rhapsody again.

Finally Macmillan's Gloria, no applause allowed during this performance, which for the most part the audience managed to abide by. Inspired by Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth this ballet depicts the futility of war. Edward Watson and Ryoichi Hirano formed a strong heart for this ballet set against a stark background which brought the desolation of a battle field clearly to mind. The men in muddy ripped uniforms and the girls in ghostly greys all with drawn hollowed faces danced a moving piece, supported by the Royal Opera Chorus with the soprano sung by Anush Hovhannisyan from the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme. I'd like to see this piece again.

The pirate ballet

It feels like London has waited an age for Le Corsaire to reach us. So on Friday I headed off to the Coliseum with a friend from London Amateur Ballet. Advertised as a swashbuckling pirate ballet it sounded like the ideal way to end a week at work.

Overall, I felt that it was a bit more pantomime Aladdin than swashbuckling pirate, but it was definitely an easy watch and fun evening. The score was light and fun and I could happily have it on my playlists and despite the nine people listed as creating the score it managed to avoid seeming disjointed. The sets were opulent and rich complementing plenty of sequins on the costumes.

This was only the second time I have seen the English National Ballet and I'm not familiar with many of the dancers. This cast included just one lead principal so it was an exciting opportunity to see the emerging dancers in the company. The jewel in this pirate's treasure chest was definitely Junior soloist Yonah Acosta in the title role of Conrad. He sparkled with crisp turns and leaps which seemed to hang in the air. Joan Sebastian Zamora also impressed with a powerful performance as Ali, Conrad's slave, a shame they killed him off at the end. Fernando Bufala brought a cheeky light to the role of Birbanto Conrad's friend and I could imagine him in the role of Mercutio (which turns out to be one of his favourite roles). Michael Coleman (Pasha) and his assistant (Anton Lukovin) made sure the audience laughed whenever they were on stage.

I wasn't sure about Le Jardin Anime in the final act, it felt shoehorned in, as an excuse for some tutus. When I read the synopsis later I discovered it was supposed be Pasha's dream but for me that was lost in the production. I was left a bit cold by the shipwreck at the end and from the staging I failed to realise that Conrad and Medora had survived as they looked very much on the sea bed, but this didn't detract from the whole performance.

After seeing the ENB's Nutcracker which I felt was lacking the magic of the Royal Ballet's production I was a little sceptical about Le Corsaire. However, despite sometimes lacking the precision and polish of the Royal Ballet's performances, Le Corsaire has persuaded me to see a bit more of the ENB in the future.

This is a jolly ballet which will make your evening sparkle in the depths of winter, and there are plenty of ticket offers and seemingly plenty of seats unsold so I suggest you find the best offer and get yourself down to the Coliseum.

2013 in shows

For completeness I thought I ought to wrap up the shows I saw in 2013, just like the books I read. I reviewed all the Edinburgh shows but many of the others were missed.

Did I miss the show of the year, is there anything I absolutely have to see in 2014? Do let me know.

1. Onegin from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Soares, Hinkis, Zucchetti
2. Tatyana with Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker
3. Eugine Onegin from the Royal Opera: Stoyanova, Keenlyside, Maximova, Breslik
4. Ashton mixed Programme: La Valse, Meditation from Thais, Voices of Spring, Monotones I and II and Marguerite and Armand from the Royal Ballet
5. Apollo, Aeturnum and 24 Preludes from the Royal Ballet
6. Apollo, Aeturnum and 24 Preludes from the Royal Ballet
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland from the Royal Ballet: Lamb, Bonelli, Watson
8. La Bayadere from the Royal Ballet: Marquez, Bonelli, Nunez
9. Opening Gala at the Udderbelly Southbank
10. Mayerling from the Royal Ballet: Gartside, Galeazzi
11. Hansel and Gretel from the Royal Ballet: Ondiviela, Harrod
12. La Bayadere from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Acosta, Kobayashi
13. Raven Girl and Symphony in C from the Royal Ballet
14. Mayerling from the Royal Ballet: Watson, Galeazzi
15. Raven Girl and Symphony in C from the Royal Ballet
16. Madame Butterfly Dress Rehearsal at Opera Holland Park
17. The Hot House at Trafalgar Studios
18. BalletBoyz at Sadler's Wells
19. Festival of the Spoken Nerd at the Edinburgh Festival
20. Men at the Edinburgh Festival
21. Guilt and Shame at the Edinburgh Festival
22. Wardens at the Edinburgh Festival
23. Oxford Imps at the Edinburgh Festival
24. Bluebeard at the Edinburgh Festival
25. Spank! at the Edinburgh Festival
26. Midsummer's Night Savoy at the Edinburgh Festival
27. Gordon Southern at the Edinburgh Festival
28. Big Value Comedy Late at the Edinburgh Festival
29. Does My Face look Big in This at the Edinburgh Festival
30. Proms in the Park from the BBC
31. The Sound of Music at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
32. Don Quixote Dress Rehearsal from the Royal Ballet: Salenko, McRae
33. Don Quixote from the Royal Ballet: Marquez, Campbell
34. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Hamilton, Watson
35. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Osipova, Acosta
36. Romeo and Juliet from the Royal Ballet: Nunez, Soares
37. Chroma, the Human Seasons and Rite of Spring from the Royal Ballet
38. Parsifal Dress Rehearsal from the Royal Opera
39. Peter Pan at Richmond Theatre
40. Nutcracker from the English National Ballet

2013 in books

Inspired by my friend Vinca (http://vinxbooks.wordpress.com/), I'm cleaning up 2013 with a list of everything I read in 2013, as it turns out I never actually managed to blog a single book review in 2013!

This is what I read, using GN for graphic novels and NF for non-fiction. I'd love your suggestions for my reading list in 2014, especially new authors, simply comment on this post to start populating my reading list for 2014.

1. Eugine Onegin by Aleksandr Sergeevich Pushkin
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
3. Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger (GN)
4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
5. The Sugar Girls: Tales of Hardship, Love and Happiness in Tate and Lyle's East End by Duncan Barrett (NF)
6. You Had Me at Hello by Mhairi McFarlane
7. A Dancer in Wartime: One Girl's Journey from the Blitz to Sadler's Wells by Gillian Lynne (NF)
8. The Bay at Midnight by Diane Chamberlain
9. 1st to Die (Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson
10. Little Girl Lost by Brian McGilloway
11. In the Land of the Long White Cloud by Sarah Lark
12. Summer Secrets by Barbara Freethy
13. White Bones (Katie Maguire) by Graham Masterton
14. A Reason to Kill (DI Matt Barnes) by Michael Kerr
15. Sara's Child (The Sara Colson Trilogy) by Susan Elle
16. Gray Justice by Alan McDermott
17. The Penal Colony by Richard Herley 
18. Sentence of Marriage (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson
19. Mud and Gold (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson
20. Settling the Account (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson
21. A Second Chance (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson
22. The One You Love (Emma Holden Suspense Mystery) by Paul Pilkington
23. Daisy's War by Shayne Parkinson
24. All I Want by Shayne Parkinson
25. Salt Bride: A Georgian Historical Romance by Lucinda Brant
26. Rope Enough (The Romney and Marsh Files) by Oliver Tidy
27. The French House by Nick Alexander
28. Silent Boy by Torey Hayden (NF)
29. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
30. The Boy from Reactor 4 Grest Stelmach
31. Salt Redux by Lucinda Brant
32. The Elephant Girl by Henriette Gyland
33. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
34. Beneath an Irish Sky by Isabelle Connor
35. After the Fall by Charity Norman
36. Night Road by Kristin Hannah
37. Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger
38. Gingerbread Man by Maggie Shayne
39. The Detective's Daughter by Lesley Thomson
40. 2nd Chance (Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson
41. 3rd Degree (Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson
42. The Bone Factory by Nate Kenyon
43. Finding Emma by Steena Holmes
44. Emma's Secret by Steena Holmes
45. Dead Line by Chris Ewan
46. Darker Than My Shadow by Katie Green (GN, NF)
47. His Shadowed Heart by Hazel Statham
48. The Crystal Mirror by Tim Malnick and Katie Green
49. A Man Above Reproach by Evelyn Price
50. The Defiant Governess (Lessons in Love) by Andrea Pickens
51. All's Fair in Love & Seduction (The Elusive Lords) by Beverley Kendall
52. An Heir of Deception (The Elusive Lords) by Beverley Kendall
53. The Earl's Inconvenient Bride (Marriage by Scandal) by Ruth Ann Nordin
54. Rockwell's Lady by AC Wilson
55. My Lady Coward by Jaimey Grant
56. A Grosvenor Square Christmas by Various
57. The Bride Wore Blue (Brides of Bath) by Cheryl Bolen

I'm starting afresh for 2014 with plenty of books to read and review, plus a busy diary of ballet and maybe some opera to keep the blog going. 

Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013: Day four

My last day in Edinburgh and I was keen to fit in as much as I could before my 6.30 train. Having dropped my bags I headed back up the Royal Mile this time it was really humming with loads of acts out fliering and a great atmosphere. The street acts were actually pretty engaging and I stopped to watch a few, especially a young boy (Luke Hunter) busking. Then my Edinburgh food must Mum's (Monster Mash) for lunch, yum.

Lead Pencil, Underbelly Bristo Square
Described as a cross between Art Attack and Saved by the Bell this show was a trip to the '90s. It would possibly only make sense to people who were teenagers in the 1990s, with three high energy performers and lots of felt tip pen props. The sound track took me back to our Year 9 disco and then Skool disco at uni and the dancing was nuts. We particularly loved the Nokia 3310 song and if you're in the 25-35 age bracket fit this into your schedule for a silly start to your afternoon.

Wardens, Assembly Roxy
This was on my list as the only chance to see Thom Tuck at the Fringe. It was a hostage situation with three traffic wardens, a police community support officer and a random (Thom Tuck) who just followed the crowd. It was an amusing hour with seemingly mundane conversations with a comedy twist. As one of the few things on my list that I actually managed to see this was a fine final show for my Fringe.

I finished off my Fringe with a drink at the Udderbelly Pasture, the best way to finish a Festival.
So to sum up my Fringe 2013, I have ranked the shows I saw in order of preference:
1. Festival of the Spoken Nerd
2. Men
3. Guilt and Shame
4. Wardens
5. Oxford Imps
6. Bluebeard
7. Spank! (It would be 10 for the show I saw, but ranking it here as I think that on a normal night it would still be a pretty good night)
8. Midsummer's Night Savoy (but it has finished)
9. Gordon Southern
10. Big Value Comedy Late
11. Does My Face look Big in This (I wouldn't recommend this at all)

Things I didn't manage to see but really wanted to:
1. Make the News
2. Austentatious
3. Boy with Tape on His Face
4. The Play that Went Wrong
5. Improverts 

Edinburgh Fringe 2013: Day three

Day three was my crazy show day and I hit town early, I had a plan but in the end it didn't really play out so I saw all kinds of things.

Men, Underbelly Bristo Square
I wondered through Bristo Square and was fliered for this show, it had an NSDF award and sounded interesting so I gave it a shot. I bought the last ticket ran across the square and sat down just in time. It was a play and darkly comic, two men in a flat with a twisted devisive relationship, but there were some funny moments and I found myself laughing throughout. Some great performances and writing, do check this out, it's a good way to start your day.

Does My Face Look Big in This, Underbelly Bristo Square
Next up was supposed to be Austentatious but as it is non-ticketed and very popular you have to start queuing at about 12.30 for a 13.30 show. So we took a flier and as it was two for one decided to try this. It wasn't to our taste and had no real thread and just wasn't that amusing. I thought it may have been alright as a half hour or twenty minute slot in a compilation show but there was not enough to carry a whole hour.

Oxford Imps, Guilded Balloon
I usually try and see the Edinburgh Improverts when I'm up for the Fringe but circumstances dictated otherwise so I headed in to the Oxford Imps instead. Despite a less than engaged audience they did a great show and I even managed to get a little bit of improvised Austen for my ticket price. I really enjoy the improvised games and I particularly liked the improvised musical set in an igloo kitchen. Good fun and an uplifting start to the afternoon, go prepared with weird and wacky ideas and a good pair of lungs.

Festival of the Spoken Nerd, Assembly George Square
This was my Fringe highlight. I don't think a George Square lecture theatre has ever seen this many graphs or spreadsheets. I saw a street lamp made put of a pickled gherkin, I'm not kidding it just needed some mains electricity. Find out what would happen if you set a turning ice skater on fire, see a spreadsheet become a photo and so much more. Plenty of laughs and lots of education, I can't recommend this show enough whether you have just watched all the episodes of The Big Bang Theory or play with spreadsheets in your spare time. I can't write more without giving the show away so just a buy a ticket and go see.

Bluebeard, Space Surgeons' Hall
This was another theatre piece and a bit more contemplative, a sister and brother watch their mother fading away in a care home, slowly losing her mind. Initially, a touch confusing but I got with the programme quickly as you see flash backs into Claire's (the mother) mind. It was interesting to see both sides as the flasbacks slipped seamlessly into current day. The actress playing Claire deserved an accolade for her flawless acting as an old woman with involuntary shaking and quick switches between a sharp young wonan and her older confused self. Worth a watch if you're in the mood for something more downbeat.

Spank, Underbelly Cowgate
I was looking forward to Spank and as this year is the last year that James and Leon are hosting I was sure to place this on my list. So I was pretty disappointed to see that they were in fact not hosting and it was Late Night Gimp Fight hosting instead. However, I was determined to enjoy it so we settled in for a night of fun. It really wasn't the same without James and Leon, although the boys did do a great job. I think what was missing was the more relaxed banter with the audience that you usually get. Late Night Gimp Fight were good fun and on the basis of what I saw I'd go see their show, but for Spank they need to loosen up a bit and add chit chat in amongst their fixed sketches and some banter between acts. In the first half we had a mixture of acts starting with a weird duo who I. Think were called Twisted and Something but I can't find them anywhere. It was a mime piece to start and I really wasn't sure about it and laughter was more nervous confusion in the room around me. Their second piece was amusing to start with, A Made in Chelsea parody but it was overworked and should have stopped when the sound track came on. Next up was a man with a guitar from Sussex, there's a lot of parody rap floating around this year's Fringe and not much of it good. He then moved into a convoluted rant about Sussex being 'bad' and a not so funny song. Next up Chris Stokes, actually pretty funny and reading a steamy novel, written by his aunt, in the voice of Alan Bennett was inspired. Finally Dana Alexander, the rest of the room loved her but by this point I'd lost interest and wasn't really amused so I headed home at half time. The verdict? Spank requires a good audience (Monday is never the best day), plenty of banter, a good mix of acts and I needed more booze, but Late Night Gimp Fight could make good hosts in the future if they can drop the sketch material.

Edinburgh Festival 2013: Day two

Yesterday I had a more Fringe type of day. A leisurely morning and then I walked into town with a friend and we battled our way down the Royal Mile. Given it was a Sunday lunchtime it was fairly quiet (for the Fringe). The street performers were not inspiring and we didn't bother to stop for them before wandering on. Most of the rest of the day was spent catching up and enjoying the atmosphere, but as it's the Fringe I had to squeeze in a few shows.

Gordon Southern: a Kerfuffle, Gilded Balloon
Gordon fliered us at the Udderbelly pasture and he was engaging and stopped for a chat which always improves the chance I'll act on the flier. He had a little sound system to create silly noises as accents during the show and it was an amusing hour. He rambled a bit and the audience participation wasn't as slick as it could have been. I did enjoy his raps though and the story of his expression doing stand up for soldiers during decompression was a highlight. The verdict? I wouldn't book but it but if you're at a loose end in the area at the right time it's worth an impulse buy.

Big Value Comedy Late, Just the Tonic, Caves
The Caves were as dark and sweaty as ever but that's part of the Fringe experience. This was a series of three acts with a compère. Described as up and coming we hadn't heard of any of them but that's not a bad thing. The compère (Chris Mayo) was fun if perhaps a little new to the role but he got the room going. The first act was mildly amusing at times but not a show I'll go see. That said he has a great singing voice both baritone and impressively counter tenor and I really can't recall his name but he is the funniest thing to come out of Grimsby. The second act was a girl with a guitar and good sense of humour. I think her name was Kay and her songs were laugh out loud funny, although very stereotypically comedian girl with plenty of relationship anger. The final act of the night was Paul Myerhaug and he was hilarious. His set revolved around sex and with an eighteen year old boy and his mum in the front row it upped the anti with the perfect foil. He was the ultimate professional when the venue lights blew half way through his set, he carried on and it was just a shame he didn't get to finish. With more time on my hands I would seriously consider seeing his show Canadians of Comedy at the Gilded Balloon.

Guilt and Shame, Underbelly

As we wondered past the Underbelly it seemed a shame not to pop in and this show looked like fun. It's a bit disconcerting when you enter a venue to be handed a label and a pen and asked to write your name out. Comedy when they know your name is a little more high stakes! turns out we were at an addiction anonymous meeting with hilarious effect. God and the Devil both made an appearance but my highlight was the piece from Swan Lake, a moving work... If you're looking for a late night laugh and plenty of silliness then do go down and check these guys out, they are totally worth the ticket and so far the best thing I've seen this year.

Edinburgh Fringe 2013: Day one

This year my Fringe got off to a slow start with a one show day. I did fit in a first birthday party and a lovely dinner at The Apartment in Brunstfield with a friend visiting from New Zealand.  The Apartment has a lovely set menu at the bargain price of £10 for two courses and the food was great,I recommend it if you're in the area.

So my first show of Edinburgh Fringe 2013?

I went to see A Midsummer's Night Savoy in Gryphon venues, written and directed by my friend Chris Drew and with a number of friends in the cast it was on my must see list. The Shakespeare elements were a bit thin on the ground but there was plenty of Gilbert & Sullivan. All the songs that a dedicated Savoyard knows and loves and maybe a few that are a little less familiar. With a troupe of 'dainty' fairies including Little Buttercup trying to avoid that most terrifying of things, a group of men, the evening was fun and definitely a little silly. The male chorus and principals deserve a mention, they were all really good and there were some really strong performance during the hour. I was disappointed that the 'Sisters, Cousins and Aunts' was restricted to just a little mention and nothing more, but overall I couldn't really complain. It was the last night and the show was sold out the audience were all on board and kept the atmosphere up, it was a truely Fringe experience to start my 2013 trip.

Other more professional reviews can be read here and here.

New Royal Ballet narrative ballets

I was lucky enough to enjoy two new story ballets at the Royal Opera House, one in the Linbury and one on the main stage.

Hansel and Gretel from Liam Scarlett
Liam Scarlett's first full length ballet was hosted in the Linbury studio theatre. I was pleased to be given a reseat on arrival as I had originally had a standing spot and was offered a seat instead. This was due to the ballet being staged in the round, sitting in the temporary rows across what is usually the back of the stage I was not really convinced by the statement 'in the round' as I often felt as though I was watching from the back. However, I'm not complaining because from where I was sat I could easily see all the action, from the children's bedroom on the mezzanine level to the Witch's basement sunk into the stage under a garden shed.

Overall I enjoyed the ballet, it was dark and twisted as one might expect and the Sandman did leave me with nightmares. I saw the reviews which said there was some overacting but for me it was all part of putting on a fairy tale. I loved Ryoichi Hirano's witch, torn between his desires and hints of a dark and miserable childhood, I felt a little scared of him but mostly sorry for the lonely being under the garden shed haunted by the terrifying Sandman.

Raven Girl from Wayne McGregor
I saw Raven Girl on opening night from the middle of the amphitheatre. I wasn't expecting a classical ballet, it is a Wayne McGregor after all. However, given the dark lighting and seeming lack of dancing I was disappointed and what is a lovely story fell flat. That said, my friends, two of whom had never been to the ballet before enjoyed it and liked the black box theatre feel. I wanted to see more dancing from Ed Watson and less cycling. Thiago Soares gave a mad professor that would be hard to match, taking complete glee in turning raven girls arms into wings.

Based on my first experience mum and I decided to treat ourselves to stalls seats for my second visit to see the second cast. We were near the centre of the front row of the stalls and I can say this was indeed a good choice. Coupled with the fact that some changes had been made seeing the dancers faces made all the difference to the ballet. The lighting had been adjusted and my least favourite scene where they removed the raven girl's wings was removed. Alexander Campbell gave a great performance as the boy, you could sense his shyness about approaching the raven girl and his empassioned encounter with the Gartside's doctor was great. I was sad that that final pas de deux didn't sing out in quite the same way. However, when this ballet comes back I will be there and will definitely be treating myself to a decent seat.

Raven Girl was paired with Balanchine's Symphony in C, a beautiful contrast. This ballet had beautiful music, crisp white tutus and lots of bright lights. Beautiful performances all round and fresh from their run of La Bayadere the ladies of the corps de ballet created stunning shapes and patterns. I look forward to seeing this work again and have downloaded the score to my iPhone to keep me going.

Fourgin or Onegin four ways

Until this year I'd not heard of Onegin, however when I received the Royal Opera House magazine and saw that they were doing the ballet and the opera with two different scores by Tchaikovsky I had to see both. Then posters popped up around town for Tatyana which turned out to be a Brazilian contemporary dance company's version of Pushkin's Onegin.

Onegin with the Royal Ballet
I had no expectations of what was coming having not read the story and failing to purchase a programme. However, I was quickly drawn in to the story and the dancing. Marianela Nunez was, as expected, beautiful and you could feel her anguish as Thiago Soare's Onegin cast her off. Meaghan Grace Hinkis debuted in the role of Olga, Tatiana's friend and danced the role with grace, showing joy, teasing and grief. I loved the use of the two curtains at the front of the stage to create a blank corridor which added drama and comic timing as needed. I loved the drama of Onegin's black cape and it added to his despair when he realised that he really had just shot his friend in a duel over Olga who was caught in the middle. Added to a grabbing story and beautiful dancing, the score from Tchaikovsky was perfect, it seemed familiar at times and I left wanting to buy the recording.

One little quibble the set made me feel seasick at times, as the angles on the flat backdrops painted to make the rooms appear square weren't quite right for my eyes making the 'room' pulsate. Luckily the dancing meant I didn't focus on them too much. The verdict? I'll be sure to get tickets next time the Royal Ballet bring Onegin back especially if Nunez and Soares are dancing together again.

One final thing about this performance, the curtain call. An unusual thing to blog about perhaps but this one was special as Marianela Nunez and Thiago Soares embraced you could see what they had put into their performance. Vampire Soup caught the moment perfectly on her blog, illustrated by @missbunnyman.

Tatyana with Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker
The evening got off to a good start as the Barbican were offering reseats down to the stalls and getting closer to the action is always welcome. I'd read one review that said you needed to know the story before you watched so I felt smug that I knew the story already. However, I'm not sure it stood me in good stead, I would have been better off viewing this dance piece as an abstract. I found the fact there there could be up to four dancers in each role very confusing, I wanted them to dance the same thing as each other, on reading the programme I discovered they were supposed to represent the different aspects of the characters. as one Royal Ballet dancer can dance beautifully and portray a complex character how come this company failed to portray a character with four dancers.

Eugene Onegin with the Royal Opera
So this was my first proper opera and I was curious and strangely a bit nervous. There were no surtitles in the first act due to a technical hitch which made the long first act very difficult. I also struggled with the Royal Opera's need to have two dancers to play alter egos / young versions of Onegin and Tatiana was distracting and for me a pointless exercise. By the end of the first act I wasn't sold but Act II changed my mind. Pavol Breslik in the role of Lensky brought tears to my eyes so much so that I couldn't read the fixed surtitles and to be contrary I found them distracting in the second half. So the verdict is I'll be back for another opera but perhaps I'll choose a bit more carefully next time.

Eugene Onegin by Pushkin
I decided that I really ought to complete my set of Onegin's with the book and so I downloaded it for my Kindle. I struggled a little with the text and some of the rhyming couplets made me laugh. I felt the book was slow to move and if I'm honest I paused / stopped half way through. I think I will go back to it though I'd like to be able to say I managed to finish all four versions of Onegin.

While I took my time on this post the inspiring Dave Tries Ballet posted on his blog comparing the ballet with Pushkin's novel in verse. A well written interpretation, beautifully illustrated with excerpts, photos and video and I recommend you head over to read his post.

An Ashton farewell

Ashton's Evening
La Valse
This piece was beautiful and I look forward to seeing it again. The dresses were perfect prom dresses, just like every little girl dreams about growing up. The patterns were beautiful, although there were few lines that weren't quite straight bringing to mind the words of my dance teacher 'you wouldn't expect to see wonky lines at the Royal Ballet.' Overall this piece was my highlight of the evening.

'Meditation' from Thais
In the midst of the evening this one I struggle to remember. I do recall that on the empty stage Leanne Benjamin and Valeri Hristov looked so small.

Voices of Spring
Alexander Campbell and Yuhui Choe provided a real highlight for the evening. Scattering the stage with white petals Choe and Campbell were a joyous pairing. They not only looked like they were having a lot of fun, making me want to dance too but gave a flawless performance. I'll be looking out for Campbell / Choe pairings in future performances as I want to see more.

Monotones I and II
The costumes were a little off-putting and in monotone I the dancers looked a little frog like. Overall I wasn't too keen on this piece, especially Montones I. In Montones II Edward Watson and Nehemiah Kish seemed to be doing their best to tie Marianela Nunez into knots, but she proved to be remarkably flexible and Montones II picked up.

Marguerite & Armand
A farewell for Tamara Rojo and Sergei Polunin at the Royal Ballet. I'd not seen this ballet before and I have to admit I didn't particularly like it and wasn't sure it showed either Rojo / Polunin off to their best. In particular I felt like Polunin was not on form at the start of the performance, although by the end his dancing was impressive. The evening finished on a high with more curtain calls than you could count, a cameo appearance from Carlos Acosta and a mountain of flowers thrown from the boxes. A better farewell a girl could not dream about.

Wrapping up 2012

So it turns out I neglected my blog and reading towards the end of the year so here's a whistle stop tour of what I read for the rest of 2012, just for completeness.

Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain
Another good read from Diane Chamberlain. When Annie dies on the operating table as Olivia operates her world unravels. Olivia realises her husband was in love with Annie and life will never be the same. As she dives deeper into what happened behind her back Olivia uncovers all kinds of secrets, no murder but mystery none the less.

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
The third of the Game of Thrones books and more of the same. I'd like to finish the series and see how it ends, but I'm not sure I want to read any more war circles and characters dying just as you decide that they are the one you want on the throne. Maybe i will reach the end but I suspect that it will be like Robert Jordan's series, stretched too far for me.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Book Club)
I loved this book which I might not have picked up off the shelf myself. It is a magical tour through a dreamlike circus that is only open at night. Although elements of the story were entirely predictable, the style of writing and descriptions meant I finished the book wishing I could visit the night circus. I've added this book to my shelf I will read again.

Ryan's Return by Barbara Freethy
A typical chick-lit, girl meets man falls in love, doesn't realise it, nearly loses him and ends up happy with him. The verdict if you need an easy beach read and don't mind chick-lit then this is worth packing in your case.

The Spare Room by Helen Garner (Book Club)

This was an interesting choice for book club and told the story of a woman who offers her spare room to her friend who has terminal cancer. When her friend arrives and checks in to the local alternative therapy clinic the effects are devastating and a wedge is driven between the friends as they disagree about the validity of the treatment. I found this a fascinating insight into what a person could put themselves through when they have lost hope in medicine.

A Fly on the Ward by Michael K Chapman
Another hospital, blog type book, but this one is written from the point of view of a patient. The description made me think I was in for a good laugh out loud read. Although that is what the author attempted to achieve I didn't find the stories as amusing as they are from the other side and the laughs were few and far between.

It Shouldn't Happen to a Midwife by Jane Yeadon
Jane trained in Belfast in the sixties and her escapades with her fellow midwifery students was an amusing read.

Monday to Friday Man by Alice Peterson
Another chick-lit read to pack for the beach.

The Lost Daughter by Diane Chamberlain
I love Diane Chamberlain's writing and as Picoult does Chamberlain's stories are never quite what they seem.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Book Club)
We read this book at book Club before it hit the billboards here in the UK. This book was perfect for me with a huge twist in the middle. When it becomes clear that all is not as it seems you then try and untangle the clues that are left. The truth leaves you baffled and at book club there were plenty of discussions about whether we liked any of the characters. A good read especially for someone like me who enjoys a good murder mystery.

Luke and Jon by Robert Williams
Luke and Jon is a lovely book about two young boys. Luke's mother is dead and his father doesn't speak any more and escapes into the bottle. Then Luke meets Jon, a boy who doesn't fit in and has a secret. The boys bond and support each other, helping Luke's father with a huge project. Together Luke and his father uncover Jon's secret and offer him an escape, a truly heart warming read.

Tom, Dick and Debbie Harry by Jessica Adams (Book Club)
This was a dull book, set in Australia a British girl goes out to marry an Australian (Richard), has an affair with his best mate Tom while Richard's brother lives out his obsession with Debbie Harry. I didn't really care about any of the characters and nothing particularly interesting happened, I won't be reading this book again and I wouldn't recommend it, not even for a light bit of reading on holiday.

Safe House by Chris Ewan (Book Club)
The Isle of Man isn't where you would expect to find a twisted thriller to be set, but that's exactly where Chris Ewan set this book. when Rob comes off his motorbike and wakes up in hospital his first thought is to ask about his travelling companion Lena. But Rob was the only on picked up by the ambulance, there was no Lena, where did she go? Was Lena a figment of Rob's imagination and then Rebecca turns up asking questions about Laura, Rob's sister who recently died in a car accident, or maybe suicide. The story unravels and draws you in as it progresses and Rob takes on a new role as investigator, very different from his day job, plumbing. A good read, although I don't think Rob will be featuring in more murder mysteries in the future.

Gin O'Clock by The Queen of Twitter
@Queen_UK is one of my favourite twitterers and this was an impulsive purchase on the Kindle. A fun book to read over Christmas, linked to the twitter account this gives you a little more, you could fool yourself into thinking that you really are reading the Queen's diary and she does have a great sense of humour.

Snow Spider

Just heading home from Snow Spider at the Oval House in Vauxhall. Joey Hickman was fab in the role of Gwyn, a nine year old boy who was at the centre of the show with his yellow back pack. For me though the show was carried by Anne-Marie Piazza playing Nain, Gwyn's grandmother.

Based in a children's story this show asked you to suspend belief. For a start Piazza is no grandmother and Hickman not a nine year old boy. But what I really loved about this show was the feeling of a secret Edinburgh find. You know, the one you see on the first weekend, then you see the Guardian review, then it wins an award and you know you saw it before it was big. What a shame the same accolades are not available for these shows all year round.

The cast were not just talented actors but also musicians. I've never seen one violin in so many hands and the folk music element brought the story to life.

I particularly loved the simplicity of set and costume. Everything was knocked back with just a flash of colour bringing families together. I think this approach leaves the audience with a blank canvas to paint their own picture on.

So it might have been a children's play with a predictable story line but I got caught up in the magic and even cried at the end. At the time of writing you have just 2 days to buy tickets, I recommend you do., especially if you miss that edgy fringe theatre you often only watch in Edinburgh!

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Viscera, Infra and a Fool's Paradise

Blogging on the tube home from the Royal Opera House, which is a new experience. Tonight was another big step in my journey towards loving the more abstract and modern pieces.

Part one: Liam Scarlett's Viscera
First off I think the leotards were my favourite, I just wish they'd look as good on me! However the costumes were just a small piece of this artwork. I loved the crisp lines and crystal shapes formed by the dancers, both individually and as an ensemble. Lowell Liebermann's music was lovely and Scarlett's choreography and costume design illustrated the piece perfectly. Two small gripes, occasionally a few dancers were a beat out and in a piece this sharp it jarred. I'm sorry to say that although I love Dawid Trzensimiech's dancing in this piece his extra sparkle meant he didn't blend completely with the group. But all in all a great start to the evening.

Part two: Wayne McGregor's Infra
This was my unexpected highlight for the evening. I didn't think Viscera could be topped, but this piece was emotionally overwhelming. The dancing was fantastic and in this piece Trzensimiech came into his own. But what stood out for me was the feeling of isolation. It felt like each couple were in their own bubble alone, and yet complementing those around. But then it felt as though the individuals themselves had no connection to their partners and were dancing out a need for support. The lighting and LED display of city workers going about their day blended in and out of the dancing enhancing the emotion. I'm embarrassed to admit that I welled up during this piece and the final piece had a lot to live up to.

Part three: Christopher Wheeldon's Fool's Paradise
A lovely piece, however after the sharp shapes of Viscera and raw emotion of Infra I felt that something was missing. Although beautifully danced and without the synchronisation issues of Viscera this piece was just too abstract for me. However the animation on the backdrop was stunning it took me a while to realise there were no real petals being dropped. With all this in mind, I still look forward to Wheeldon's next offering as this is the first time I've felt flat from his work and I think more because of the programme it was in than the work itself.

The evening reminded me how much I love the ballet and inspired me to dig out my leotard and tights, get back to class and actually book my Onegin tickets.

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Summer 2012 Reading: part one

It feels like watching last night of the proms is a good time to sum up my summer reading material. Due to the Olympics the reading list is a bit shorter than usual as I got distracted but this is what I read before the Paralympics started.

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
This is the third book, or technically the end of the second book in the 'Game of Thrones' series. I wish I could tell you what happened in this book but they are all blending in to one. I'm still going to read the next one but if I'm honest I'm now ready for the end but I'm sure I'll keep reading. What I find hard about this series is that I can't really empathise with any characters, particularly because they keep killing everyone off.

Fearless in High Heels by Gemma Halliday
I enjoyed reading about Maddie's earlier adventures, a chick-lit mixed with who-dunnit, what more could a girl ask for. This time Maddie is pregnant but that doesn't seem to stop her chasing after murderers. add in a vampire element because well these days you have to have a vampire. The result is enjoyable but not the best in the series and definitely light reading.

The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain
I loved the other books I have read by Diane Chamberlain and this one was no exception. It was perhaps a little predictable but once again some interesting twists, a few nail-biting chapters and a happy ending.

Confessions of a Male Nurse by Michael Alexander
Another medical book and this one was amusing. A qualified Aussie, male nurse coming over to London writes about his experiences. Particularly amusing was the chapter in gynaecology, just every stereotype you can imagine really does happen. if you liked Confessions of a GP, which I did then you'll probably love this too.