WHO: MARTHA@THECRITERION<BR>WHEN: SUN 4 - MON 5 NOV<BR>WHERE: CRITERION THEATRE<BR>TICKETS: 020 7413 1437<P><B>RICHARD MOVE: EXTREME PERSONALITY</B><P>"Extreme personalities - I'm a magnet for them!" The speaker is Richard Move, the man behind the woman at the centre of Martha@TheCriterion.<P>Since his first Umbrella visit in 1999, the towering New York performer and choreographer has been going great guns, working on projects with the likes of designer Isaac Mizrahi, pop group Blondie, Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project (for whom Move will create their first-ever full-length piece), choreographer Martha Clarke (on a Broadway-bound version of The Blue Angel), post-modern dance/film legend Yvonne Rainer, New York City Ballet (devising a solo about lust for one of their ballerinas), retired pro wrestler The Iron Sheik, and Shirley Bassey. Move brands the latter "a diva underlined, squared, italicised, bold."<P>Divas are something this busy fellow knows well. But better make that diva, since Move's continuing creative obsession is the very singular American modern dance pioneer Martha Graham. She died a decade ago, age 96. Move memorialises her mythic status in a spirit of loving satire only the most knowing devotee could achieve. His performances - dance history as meticulous drag cabaret - began in a closet-sized club in downtown Manhattan. They caught on with press and public, to such an extent that they're now staged at the venerable 1500-seat Town Hall. (Graham herself performed there early in her career, Move says, "so it's full of ghosts.") Plus there's just enough international touring, including an Umbrella return engagement at The Criterion in Piccadilly. "I've only seen photos," Move says. "It looks lovely!'"<P>Issuing deathless utterances with dead-pan drollery, Move embodies his beloved as a giantess of Norma Desmond-like dimensions. His Martha plays hostess-with-the-mostess, introducing a handful of guest artists. At The Criterion there'll be video by Charles Atlas, Sheron Wray performing Graham alumnus Jane Dudley's classic solo Harmonica Breakdown, and a one-night-only spot from Mark Morris (who unhesitatingly crowns Move 'a genius!). Martha will also banter interview-style with Matthew Bourne, and there are rumours of appearances by some Covent Garden types.<P>Furthermore, Graham's dances are beautifully bastardised in truncated, mix-and-match versions choreographed by Move himself. There are over two dozen so far. The Umbrella-bound repertory, Move reveals, includes a Clytemnestra featuring dance students from London's Laban Centre as the Furies. Rob Besserer, whom Move dubs 'one of the greatest dancers on the planet,' will be dancing in a duet as Martha's Erick Hawkins [Graham's husband]. Dancers Deborah Goodman and Blakeley White-McGuire return, along with Umbrella newcomer Katherine Crockett. The latter is no stranger to Graham, having been a stand-out member of the official company on its last visit to the UK in 1999. 'She's to die for!' Move enthuses. The Martha crew will also be doing Mary, Queen of Scots. "I'm just crazy about it," Move says. "It's so dry!"<P>Reflecting upon his current stratospheric work load, Move counts himself lucky. "I'm working with all my heroes - whether they're dead or alive!" The plethora of Martha stage props keeps growing. When I interviewed Move in his apartment two years ago, I remind him, the thing I remember best is the cat litter tray propped up in what looked like a giant, Noguchi-inspired pelvic bone. Laughing, he explains, "Whatever can't be put into storage gets integrated into the apartment's decor." As a feature-length Martha film approaches its final sound mix, Move keeps tabs on the beleaguered fortunes of the official Graham company and its court case against artistic director Ron Protas. He's hopeful that the eventual outcome will facilitate the troupe's phoenix-like resurrection.<P>In the meantime, his Martha keeps the Graham flame burning bright. "It's hard for me to take any credit for that," says Move. "It's too pompous. This is some strange and elaborate character study I do, but the world really needs to see her original dances intact." He will, however, admit, "There are people who really know her work and appreciate what I do, but also people who have a vague - or no - idea of who she is. They come and learn and are turned on by her, and then they wanna know more." In Move's own estimation, that dual appeal is one of the beauties of his show.<P><BR><P>------------------<BR>This interview was posted by Stuart Sweeney on behalf of Donald Hutera.<P>Donald Hutera writes regularly on dance and arts for The Times, Evening Standard, Time Out, Dance Europe, Dance Magazine (US) and Dance Now. He is co-author, with Allen Robertson, of The Dance Handbook.<P>This interview first appeared in either the Spring or Autumn 2001 editions of Dance Umbrella News. <BR> <BR>Join Dance Umbrella's mailing list to receive future editions of Dance Umbrella News. <BR>Call: 020 8741 5881 <BR>Email:
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