Rambert Spring Tour 2006 - News and Feedback Forum



"Divine Influence" © Anthony Crickmay




"Swamp" © Hugo Glendinning



No sooner is Christmas out of the way and while the chilly winds still doth blow, it's already time for the Rambert Spring tour - I've heard of the power of positive thought, but....

Certainly it brings cheer around the country in the dark days of February and March.


This Season's Repertoire:

A Steel Garden
Christopher Bruce, Rambert's former Artistic Director creates a new work for the Company.

bloom
Aletta Collins creates a new work, her first for Rambert Dance Company.

Constant Speed
Mark Baldwin’s Constant Speed, has Rambert’s dancers whizzing around the stage like molecules, in a joyous & athletic frenzy of movement.

Divine Influence
Divine Influence was created by Martin Joyce for the Workshop Season in 2005.

Judgment of Paris
In black comedy Judgment of Paris Antony Tudor takes a famous Greek myth & turns it on its head.

Momenta
Momenta was created by Mikaela Polley for the Rambert Workshop Season in January 2005.

Pond Way
Rambert perform acclaimed choreographer Merce Cunningham's work, Pond Way.

Songs of a Wayfarer
Created by Kim Brandstrup, this evocative work for seven dancers explores the complex emotions associated with unrequited love and is danced to Mahler's achingly beautiful song-cycle of the same title.

Swamp
Michael Clark's Swamp was first performed in 1986 and employs classical dance movements imaginatively in a thoroughly contemporary way.



Spring Tour & Video Clips

Rambert's SpringTour 2006 includes Merce Cunningham's Pond Way, former Rambert Artistic Director Christopher Bruce's Steel Garden as well as the classic Olivier Award-winning Swamp by Michael Clark, Mark Baldwin's Constant Speed and Kim Brandstrup's Songs of a Wayfarer amongst others.

See below for details of venues and performances. To watch excerpts from this season's repertoire see Rambert's Video Clips page.



His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen

Tuesday 7 – Thursday 9 February at 7.30pm
Sign Language Interpreted performance on Thursday 9 February

Swamp, Clark
A Steel Garden, Bruce
Constant Speed, Baldwin

His Majesty's Theatre
Rosemount Viaduct
Aberdeen
AB25 1GL

Box Office: 01224 337642

Pre-Performace talk Thursday 9 February, 6.30pm

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Theatre Royal, Newcastle

Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 February at 7.30pm
Matinee: Thursday 16 February at 2pm

A Steel Garden, Bruce
Judgement of Paris, Tudor
Divine Influence, Joyce
Constant Speed, Baldwin


Theatre Royal
Grey Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 6BR

Box Office: 0870 905 5060

Pre-Performance talk Thursday 16 February, 6.30pm

Duration: Approx 2 hours & 15 minutes including 2 intervals & a pause

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Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Suffolk

Friday 24 and Saturday 25 February at 7.30pm



Songs of a Wayfarer, Brandstrup
Momenta, Polley
Divine Influence, Joyce
Constant Speed, Baldwin

Snape Maltings Concert Hall
Snape
Suffolk
IP17 1SP

Box Office: 01728 687110

Post-Performance talk after the show Friday 24 February

Duration: Approx 1 hour 30 minutes including 1 interval & two pauses

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Hall for Cornwall, Truro

Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 March at 8pm
Matinee: Thursday 2 March at 2.30pm


A Steel Garden, Bruce
Judgement of Paris, Tudor
Divine Influence, Joyce
Constant Speed, Baldwin

Hall for Cornwall
Back Quay
Truro
TR1 2LL

Box Office: 01872 262466

Pre-Performace talk Thursday 2 March, 7pm

Duration: Approx 2 hours & 15 minutes including 2 intervals & a pause

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Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold

Tuesday 14 – Friday 17 March at 7.30pm


Judgement of Paris, Tudor
Momenta, Polley
A Steel Garden, Bruce
Constant Speed, Baldwin

Clwyd Theatr Cymru
Mold
Flintshire
CH7 1YA

Box Office: 0845 330 3565
Book Online

Duration: Approx 2 hours & 15 minutes including 2 intervals& a pause

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Theatre Royal Brighton

Wednesday 22 – Saturday 25 March, 7.45pm
Matinee: Thursday 23 March at 2pm
Sign Language Interpreted Performance: Thursday 23 March, 7.45pm



Judgement of Paris, Tudor
Divine Influence, Joyce
Pond Way, Cunningham, RAMBERT PREMIERE
Constant Speed, Baldwin

*Theatre Royal Brighton is an Associate Company of the Theatre Royal, Brighton

Theatre Royal Brighton
New Road
Brighton
BN1 1SD

Box Office: 08700 606 650

Post-Performance talk Wednesday 22 March (after the show)
Pre-Performance talk Thursday 23 March, 6.45pm

Duration: Approx 2 hours & 15 minutes including 2 intervals & a pause

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Sadler's Wells, London

Tuesday 23 – Saturday 27 May, 7.30pm
Family matinee: Saturday 27 May, 2.30pm


Pond Way, Cunningham
Constant Speed, Baldwin
bloom, Aletta Collins, WORLD PREMIERE


Sadler's Wells
Roseberry Avenue
Islington
London
EC1R 4TN

Box Office: 08707 377 737

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Any problems or queries, don't hesitate to contact stuart@criticaldance.com

Don't delay - have your say.

I'm looking forward to the Sadler's visit at the end of the season with a Rambert's staging of Merce Cunningham's "Pondway"; it is a real feather in Rambert's cap, as they are one of the very few companies around the world who are allowed to perform Cunningham.

To balance the seriousness of Cunningham's abstract expressionism, there is a new commission from Aletta Collins. She spends most of her time in the West End and opera these days, but the last pure dance work I saw from her, "Alice is back in Wonderland", was a witty delight.



The other temptation for me would be a trip down to Brighton to the delightful Theatre Royal. The tiny stage and miniscule foyer present some practical problems, but, boy, has it got character.

Anyone else got any thoughts about the forthcoming season or other matters Rambert?

What Stuart said about Pondway.. can't wait.

Also really looking forward to seeing Constant Speed at Sadlers again. I saw it when it premiered in London and remember really enjoying it for spectacle but wondering if it was as good as I thought. And those swimming hats were funny.

I was very disappointed in the current repertory - Steel Garden, Judgment of Paris, Constant Speed. The dancers do a fantastic job with some pretty mediocre choreography. Watching this work you would think that Judson never happened. A very backwards and insular programme featuring only choreographers with a long association with the company - get some fresh blood in! I suppose the big question for me is WHY? Is the choreography achieving anything beyond displaying the dancer's virtuoustic skills - which after a time deaden the sensation of watching - another high jete, another lift to the sky....with no particular curiousity or interest developed in terms of ideas or movement vocabulary. I laughed out loud when that glitter ball came down - so kitsch! Alright it was colorful and easy but dance can be so so much more. An on going wishy washy reworking of cunninghamesque moves without a hint of irony, or perhaps it was ironic and I just failed to see it! The exception is the piece by Joyce - at which I sighed relief for at last some sensitivity and humanity came through the dancing.

Come on Rambert, sort it out!

Thanks a bunch dance lover for starting the ball rolling with performance comments for the Spring tour. It sounds as though you might have been happier to see Merce Cunningham's "Pondway", which is premiered in late March.

I'm intrigued by your reference to Judson. I see much that could be described as post-Judson Church in continental Europe, but not much in the UK. Can you see elements of Judson in other current UK choreography?

What dance lover said. And the less said about Steel Garden the better. Apart from why? and why?

Actually, as I'm touching on Christopher Bruce in general then I must mention Three Songs - Two Voices for the Royal Ballet -- When you've got some of the world's best and most beautiful dancers at your disposal why would you give them that? So disappointing.

I enjoyed the duets from Bruce's "Three Songs - Two Voices", but the ensemble work made little impression on me.

When I saw "Steel Garden" at Sadler's, it took a while to get going and improved visually when the bank of gongs at the front of the stage lifted away. I'd like the chance to see it again.

Steel Garden baffled me. I was open to it, despite my negative response to Bruce's 'Songs...', but I just didn't get it. Apart from the obvious reference to the tubular bells that the dancers banged and gonged against (which I did find a bit annoying tbh) it didn't seem to add up as a piece. It was beautifully performed, but it didn't move me. There were interesting sections of choreography, in fact I think I was actively looking for things to be positive about, but all in all, and sorry for the nebulous commentary, I thought it was an odd creation. I'm very interested to hear others' views though, esp. following the Spring performances.

I went with my partner to see the performance last night. I love the opportunity to see the company dance, Cornwall is so far from London, so I really appreciate your commitment to dance here. My son is with the school in his last year, so I am familiar with contemporary dance now, but my partner had never seen any. Last night's performance was stunning. The quality of dancing was excellent, and the programme was so varied. Constant speed was fantastic, neither of us wanted it to end. Thank you for making David's introduction to contemporary dance so special.

jaime Posted: 04 Mar 2006 03:54 pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,
I have just enjoyed another visist to Cornwall by the Rambert Company.
Maybe I'm just getting old (now 42y.o.) but I really do enjoy the dances which are to music that has a definable rythymn, loved the waltzes music, I noticed that the dancers were also more relaxed and smiled a little - which in turn added to my enjoyment.

With the wonderful sets, live music and a great performance the only thing missing was some kind of scent....How about adding the smell of fresh mown grass, or herbs....or vanilla....?

look forward to your next visit

Your dance company has enspired me to contine with my dance! I am 14 and is sitting my gcse exam next saturday a year early! But i thought i would send this to inform you of how fabulous your company is so thank you very much !
love alice X

Alice, how wonderful for you to see something so inspiring.
I do wish Rambert would tour the U.S. again, in the vicinity of Washington DC.

I was at last night's performance of the Rambert Spring Tour ("Setting the Gold Standard" at the Theatre Royal, Brighton.

I have to say I was very disappointed. Firstly the programme was rather dull (or maybe the other works aren't any better?), and secondly i thought that, apart from 'Divine Influence' the whole programme was pretty lack-lustre compared to the work that Rambert has long prided itself on.

I daresay it is heresy to say it, but maybe Merce Cunningham should just hang up his dance shoes now. 'Pond Life' just about summed up the dance. What seemed to be an eternity of individuals dancing their own pieces (maybe there was some clever connection that I missed - I sincerely hope so - but on one showing the audience didn't get it. I spoke to people around me and they all were of the same opinion - "so what?"

Trying to offer some constructive thoughts, what failed to support the dance was the dreadfully unoriginal lighting. Oh come on, Rambert. I know a fair bit about Dance, and know that lighting can lift a piece of dance energetically and aesthetically - it is there to help the audience to appreciate the work, and all the lighting on this piece did was....illuminate the dancers.

The second piece was....well, as someone near me said "Why dance it? What does dance offer us that acting doesn't?" In this piece, not a lot.

The final piece was OK. Nice idea, well danced (well, most of the time. Rambert's ensemble used to be able to keep together in bits where they were clearly MEANT to be together. It all seemed very sloppy last night), and nicely costumed and lit. Nominal set changes helped too. But, like all the other pieces (except DI) it lacked balls! (Well, not exactly as there were quite a lot on the girls' heads!) Doing a piece like this is all very well, but where is the fire in the belly? It came across as a 'clever excersise' to show how science could be transformed into art.

Which leaves me with DI, which was beautifully danced, cleverly costumed, brilliantly accompanied, and cleverly lit. And had a real sense of enthusiasm about it.

So, for my £16.50 I felt pretty cheated, I can tell you.

Come on, Rambert, stop kidding yourselves. You can do MUCH better than this! Take a look at Martin Joyce's piece and "Go thou and do likewise".

Welcome Martin and many thanks for taking the trouble to record your views on the programme. Sorry it wasn't a good experience for you.

Looking at the programme, am I right in thinking that the "second piece" you mention was "Judgement of Paris" and the final piece was "Constant Speed"?