CriticalDance Forum

I have been interested in the present trend to turn plays, movies, operas, musicals, novels, etc into ballets. Recently we've seen reviews of "Carousel", "The Seagull", The Three Musketeers", and many others on this forum. This isn't of course a new trend: mythology, folk tales and Shakespeare have been a rich source for ballet/dance for centuries.

So is there anything you would REALLY like to see adapted?


Or really NOT like to see adapted?


I wouldn't mind seeing a version of Sweeney Todd as a ballet. That could satisfyingly gory for a good Halloween program.

I seriously doubt that "Grease" would work though.

Moby Dick.

Kenneth MacMillan did one in the late 50's or early 60's.

I thought that sounded familiar when I read the suggestion.

How about an adaptation of the entire series of "Halloween"?

Hmmm, interesting choice. Very gory. Is the story epic enough?

Moby Dick is definitely epic enough. It might actually improve significantly from a ballet treatment.

What about one of those Hong Kong kung fu films? They are very "dancey" already.

It would be a challenge to do Titanic.

Ingve

djb wrote:



One of the leading exponents, Zhang Yimou (although mainland Chinese, rather than HK) has already worked with National Ballet of China to make a ballet out of his "Raise the Red Lantern". And the result was an international hit and I'm convinced that this ballet experience can be observed in his later sword spectaculars: "Hero", "House of flying Daggers", "Curse of the Golden Flower".

Perhaps something like Sin City or some kind of film noir with a pre-recorded narrative playing with the music.

I vote for "The Illusionist."

Oooh, I like the film oir suggestion.

What about "The Maltese Falcon" as a ballet. I think Matthew Bourne could something interesting with that.

Or what about neo-noir subjects like "LA Confidential"? Kim Basinger's character could be a modern day Lady of the Camillias.