National Dance Company Wales - Spring 2015

The Aberystwyth Arts Centre was presented with three of the five dances last week from the National Dance Company Wales’ Spring Season 2015. The varying styles that the choreographers incorporated made for a diverse evening of dance from this prestigious company, although a common theme of relationships and interaction was evident. 

WALKING MAD - by John Inger

A strong opening to the production, Walking Mad by Scandinavian choreographer John Inger explored relationships and the contrasting emotions that come from having them. Set to the soundtrack of the Bolero, Inger used nine dancers in solo, partner and group dances to present relationships with oneself or between people. Feelings of celebration, loneliness and fear so closely interwoven in this 20 minutes piece were highlighted using an extremely versatile set comprising of a wall allowed the dancers to move through doors, climb and use it as a horizontal and vertical plane. This and the vibrancy of costume and colour meant that the journey this performance took never ceased to excite.

THEY SEEK TO FIND THE HAPPINESS THEY SEEM – by Lee Johnston

Matteo Marfolgia and Natalie Corne

The mood significantly changed in Lee Johnston’s They Seek to Find Happiness They Seem, which was also an exploration of relationships. However, it focused on the separation and isolation between couples and was presented in a sombre and delicate, yet desperate fashion. Unlike Walking Mad, the interaction between the pair of dancers (Matteo Marfoglia and Natalie Corne on this evening) was kept at a minimum; the couple never had any eye contact – even when making physical contact – until the last moment of the piece, which made it extremely poignant. A more subtle approach of the presentation of a relationship shown in its minimal lighting and no set, this performance used many movements in unison or conversely the two dancers on opposite side of the stage having ‘lost’ each other. This showed the pair’s longing to be together, but lack of an emotional connection, leading to a feeling of complete isolation throughout, especially at the end of the piece.                                                                                                       

TUPLET – by Alexander Ekman

Tuplet by Alexander Ekman

An intensely exciting and enjoyable dance to end with was Tuplet by Alexander Ekman, a choreographer who frequently incorporates rhythm into his work, so decided to centre a whole piece on the element. This dance featured six dancers who all performed various examples of rhythms; be it improvising individually to create a wall of sound accompanied by movement, or working in unison to create movement informed by words, conversation or sounds. This dance interchanges the eleven dancers in the company on different nights, allowing room for change in the piece every time it is performed and the amount of effort both physically and mentally that it took to perform was astounding. This piece was very gripping, my only wish was that it was longer as I did not want it to end!

4*

Behind The Beautiful Forevers

Behind the Beautiful Forevers is a play directed by Rufus Norris and based on a non-fiction book by Katherine Boo who went to Annawadi in Mumbai to report on the poverty in a small community. The play centres around many families and how their lives intersect when faced with immense religious prejudice corruption as well as petty problems that every society experiences. Abdul Husain - sensitively portrayed by Shane Zaza – is a rubbish sorter at the top of his trade and providing for a wealthy family who also happens to be one of the only Muslim families in the neighbourhood. His mother Zehrunisa (Meera Syal) is a foul mouthed and proud woman who constantly picks fights and when this catches up to her, a spiral of deceit and corruption takes its toll on the whole community.

The Olivier at the National Theatre is known to be a grand space and the set conveyed the vastness of the slums in Annawadi perfectly. From the rubbish falling from the ceiling downstage to the billboards advertising luxuries in the background, the divide between classes was painfully obvious to the audience. The music was particularly poignant as the blaring, upbeat songs contrasted with the downbeat feeling of the community and represented what people relate with Mumbai rather than the reality; something that Boo commented on herself. The revolving stage cleverly separated the domestic setting with the corporate showing the many different types of corruption present and that there are two sides to every story.

This production highlights the extreme conflict which occurs when everyone is just trying to get by. It was cleverly written and wonderfully acted by the first entire British Asian cast at the National. Other standout performances include Thusitha Jayasundera as the conniving Fatima and Anjana Vasan as Manju, an educated girl who is the voice of morality along with Abdul.

For a gripping and sobering story, 

Behind the Beautiful Forevers will be broadcast as part of the NT Live cinema series in March.

5*

Hoke's Bluff

Hoke’s Bluff is a performance by the company ‘Action Hero’(consisting of Gemma Paintin and James Stenhouse) and centres around a sports team in high school and the internalised thoughts of the people in the town surrounding this team. Arriving at the performance the hall was transformed into a sports court with seats on both sides of the ‘stage’ organised like bleachers. The atmosphere was initially extremely high as there was blaring pop music and the audience were given flags to wave and popcorn as if at an actual sports game. This could be seen as ‘buying’ the audience from the start, but I thought it was almost making a clever spin on the cliché idea of an American sports game.

This primary energy formed by the flashing lights and loud music was a recurring feeling throughout Hoke’s Bluff, but what struck me about this piece was how suddenly the actors manipulated the audience’s emotions; one scene would require us to wave our flags and ‘make some noise,’ followed by an abrupt stop to the soundtrack and a serious monologue to be presented. On watching the show, I felt that some of the longer, more downbeat monologues were too long for this fast paced piece and sometimes dragged. However, upon reflection I have realised that although the general pace of the performance was interrupted, this could mirror the feelings of teenagers having extreme highs and lows and the seemingly endless list of place names the actors were speaking represented how these were commonplace emotions which could happen anywhere in the world to anyone. Also, in describing the sports game as various sports during the show – basketball, ice hockey - the setting was universalised in the same way.

I found the use of the audience impressive as they broke the fourth wall in a significant way.  The two actors interacted with the audience constantly which enabled the quantity of comedy this piece had. I think it was interesting how they changed the role of the audience throughout from a cheering crowd to members of the sports team; it engaged everyone to a degree which would not have been possible without that set up. By incorporating the audience it would give the feel of an entire sports team where in fact there are only three actors on stage at any time. I imagine it would also bring an exciting element to the actors as they could not guess how the spectators would respond to being shouted at or introduced and this brings an aspect of improvisation to their performance. I have noticed that there are quite a few pieces of theatre at present which use the vehicle of audience participation and it seems to be a popular format in theatre today. However, this is something I have never seen done before in such a way and also working well, so my perception of audience interaction has heightened.

 I found it intriguing that the whole piece centred around a sports game, yet none of the sports game was shown and only described by commentators on stage. This was probably due to only two principal actors being present, but it reminded me of ‘obskene’ used in Greek theatre where none of the violence was shown on the stage. The text used in “Hoke’s Bluff” was colloquial – probably to live up to the stereotypical image of an American high school sports team – and comedic, but minimal; enhanced by music and movement. A particularly poignant motif used was the arm gestures made by the third member of this team who played the referee. The sports terminology she used and these gestures created another dimension to this piece which was definitely needed. The physical motion seemed effortless and generated another point of vision in the horizontal plane that was the sports court. This definitely changed my view of theatre as I realised all the layers that have to be built to produce one performance. On their own they might not be effective, but put together they create something distinctive and memorable.

3.5*

Rites Of War

Rites Of War portrays the effects of war over the last hundred years through the medium of dance. Directed and choreographed by Darshan Singh Bhuller, this production was originally performed in London before touring across the UK.

Seeing this over Remembrance Weekend in Aberystwyth Arts Centre was a profound experience. The production focused mainly on two stories of war; one in modern day Afghanistan and the other during World War I, the latter portrayed beautifully by standout Richard Causer. The performers made use of all the dimensions of the set as a significant part of the show was used for aerialists.

The factor which heightened the mood of the piece was the soundtrack (edited by Thor Mcintyre-Burne) which reflected the time period in which they were conveying at any certain time. The contrast of this, but the similarity in situations made the effect more poignant for the audience.

Rites Of War is definitely a performance that should not be missed. It is touring around the UK currently.

5*

The Scottsboro Boys

The Scottsboro Boys played the autumn season of the Young Vic last year. Directed and choreographed by the five time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman and with a Kander and Ebb score, this production tells the true story of nine black teenagers upon a train in Scottsboro, Alabama, who were unfairly tried for the rape of two white women in 1931. As an almost all black cast, it presents the characters as sometimes portraying white men and women interestingly.

Kyle Scatliffe's portrayal of the leader of the nine boys, Haywood Patterson, was outstanding. His presence makes him the obvious leader as he towers over the rest of the cast and his big voice matches his body. However, it also has a soothing quality especially on the ballad 'Go Back Home.' It is understandable that he is now playing Enjolras on the newly revived production of Les Miserables.

The show had a mixture of performers from the original Broadway production - which was short lived - and newcomers to the roles. However they all performed well as a unit and this did not show to be an obstacle to their ability as a unit.

The set design by Beowulf Boritt was minimal, but the predominant setting of a prison cell made this a suitable choice and you it highlighted the cold, empty quality on the stage.

This was an incredible and thought-provoking piece of theatre. I can possibly see why it did not last long on Broadway as sometimes the line between humour and drama was too thin in this sombre story. However, it should be given credit for the memorable score from Kander and Ebb and the incredible acting within it.

Georgia Goody-Miceli

3.5*

A Season In The Congo

Whilst browsing for new productions to see, I came across Aime Cesaire's A Season in the Congo directed by Joe Wright which was on at the Young Vic.

I had no previous knowledge about the production, only that it was about the '1960 Congo rebellion and the assassination of the political leader Patrice Lumumba.'

Patrice Lumumba, played by Olivier award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor, was the first democratically elected leader of the Congo. Ejiofor's portrayal was electrifying and showed the different stages of his political rise and eventual demise. His good intentions were manifested with his heightened power, determination and eventual defeat. It is of no surprise that he has gone on to win a Bafta this year.

The character of Mokutu was cleverly written as we follow his change of persona as his power increases. A timid, then uncomfortably sinister portrayal by the incredible Daniel Kaluuya ensures that the audience feels this shift massively. The ending of the play renders the audience speechless and we have Kaluuya's cold hearted Mokutu to thank.

Lizzie Clachan's set design made full use of the somewhat small space provided and used many levels in which the drama unfolded. The first few rows were set out with tables and were an extension of the set, making the audience feel like they are part of the action.

A superbly written and directed piece of theatre which uses several mediums and languages to make the audience question the line between morality and justice. The movie is in development which I thoroughly hope has the same vigor as this production.

Georgia Goody-Miceli

5*

BFI London Film Festival 2013

On the 19th and 20th of October I went to see two different films that were being shown as part of the BFI London Film Festival.

Short Term 12

Written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, this film initially caught my attention due to the involvement of John Gallagher Jr in it - something that links both of these films.

The film follows a 'foster care facility for at-risk teenagers' and both the carers - primarily a twenty-something woman called Grace - and the teenagers living there. Films which involve serious teen issues can sometimes seem over-dramatised or unrealistic, but Short Term 12 portrayed these issues with sensitivity yet adding a rawness which could be difficult to match. The structural similarity of the beginning and ending perfectly started the narrative and effortlessly brought it to a natural end.

Brie Larson was perfect for Grace and conveyed her yearning to help these teenagers whilst never confronting her own feelings and needs perfectly. John Gallagher faultlessly portrayed the helplessness of not being able to let his girlfriend, Grace, open up to him. Kaitlyn Denver was also heartbreaking as Jayden, a teenager whose journey is to talk about why she is in the facility.

Keith Stanfield stood out for me as Marcus whose looming eighteenth birthday means he has to leave short term 12. His complete lack of emotion on the surface was what made the whole plot seem like you were not watching written characters on a screen, but real people in such a devastating position.

This is writing at its best from Cretton. Nothing seems out of place, cheesy, or over the top. They made the best of what they had with such a small budget, but this heightens the rawness of the film. I think the cinematography was perfect; the camera work wasn't static, but as if you were there with these characters. 

I have never wanted to laugh and cry so violently in such a close proximity, but Cretton made the balance between comical and darker elements perfect. This is a film I would definitely recommend. Best film of the year, hands down.  

5*

Broadway Idiot

Broadway Idiot is a documentary about the making of the Broadway production 'American Idiot' which incorporates the music and narrative of the band 'Green Day's album of the same name.

It focused more on Billie Joe Armstrong's personal connection to the album and the making of the production. It was a bit disheartening hardly seeing Mike and Tre, but as the director and editor said in the talk afterwards, bits were shot with them however in the final cut Billie's story was the path they wanted to take. I found it extremely bittersweet when he repeatedly told how he found he had made true friends for the first time in a long time in theatre, which he couldn't do in the rock world.

Being both a massive theatre and green day lover this was the perfect documentary for me. I did find it initially took time to get started, but once it did it was relatively fast-paced, showing you all aspects of putting on a Broadway show - from set design, to musical arrangements, to pre-Broadway runs - without ever leaving you bored.

I couldn't help, but find that something was missing from it, but don't quite know what. Nevertheless it was a wonderful insight into the hard work and time that goes into putting together a production of such a large scale. Definitely a must for Green Day and/or theatre fans and it is great to see these two worlds colliding.

Georgia Goody-Miceli

4*