I went to Amy Freed’s The Beard of Avon, the other night, at Gryphon Theatre.

This comedy explores who wrote the works of Shakespeare.

Will Shakspere – played by Tom Rainbird – unhappy with his domestic circumstances in rural Avon, is tempted by the bright lights of the city and of the stage, runs away from his wife and farm! It turns out that he has no real talent to be an actor (can’t: dance, tumble, act, nor orate), but nevertheless becomes a spear shaker – a spear carrier – in a company in London. There his ability to polish and have a neat feeling turn of phrase is discovered and his future is assured – as is Willliam Shakespeare’s place in history.

It is asserted that Shakspere/Shakespeare polished and finished off the plays (and poems), but who provided the drafts? The play drags forth a number of candidates. It does explain how Shakespeare had such an intermit knowledge of politics and of the nobility.

The play is engaging and mildly funny. The more you are familiar with plays of Shakespeare, the more your will be engaged; I am sure I missed a few references.

Chris O’Grady is superb as Edward de Vere (the Early of Oxford). Gillian Boyes makes a wonderful Queen Elizabeth I – though I am not sure that her handbag was historically accurate! Felicity Cozens took the various sides of Anne Hathaway (grumbling wife, sorry wife, unhappy wife, harlot!) in her stride. Susannah Donovan is great as Geoffrey Dunderbread – a man playing a women.

Worth going – if you have time bone up on your Shakespeare before you go!

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Saturday the 21st of November, the New Zealand School of Dance’s Graduation Season 2009, at the New Zealand School of Dance.

The night’s performance consisted of:

• Pas de Quatre
• Haere
• Love
• Pas de Trois (from Raymonda, Act I)
• X300
• Crossed Fingers
• He Taonga – a gift
• Airs

There were eight pieces : three ballet pieces and five contemporary pieces; arranged around two intervals.

The opening piece – Pas de Quatre, originally choreographed for four of the (five) pre-eminent ballerinas of their time – set the tone for the night. It spoke of a confidence in the graduates’ techniques and performance abilities, and a willingness to put on something special. Lucile Grahn (Alison Carroll), Carlotta Grisi (Hayley Meek), Fanny Cerrito (Katherine Grange), and Marie Taglioni (Haruka Tsuji) cast a very long shadow.

Love – a short contemporary piece – was amazing, the duo of Nicola Leahy and Robbie Curtis, had so much energy and connection, back by technique.

The second Act opened with the Pas de Trois from Raymonda, Act I. This was superbly executed by three technically very proficient dancers: Haruka Tsuji, Anna Ishii and Andre Santos. The audience appreciated each execution. Watching Santos dance, especially the jump turns, I thought to myself : “I want to see him do Le Corsaire!” At the end of the dance there was a huge outpouring of applause from the audience; and Santos chivourously ushered his two fellow dancers forward – staying well back.

I found the Guinea Pig segment of X300 the modern piece I could most relate to; it was very street theatre – maybe it was the costumes. But it got the point across – that nuclear explosions are not good!

Crossed Fingers was breath taking. I am not sure what neo-classical ballet is, but if this is an example, I am all for it. Katherine Grange and Loughlan Prior were amazing, Katherine Grange in a simple red leotard was both flexible and strong. They executed a series of unorthodox ballet lifts, which were refreshing and stunning in the demands on the dancers’ technique. Grange’s head stand finale stunned the audience !

The final piece – Airs – was a soft lyrical way to finish the evening; light music, and some nice fusion of ballet and contemporary. I found my mind drifting along and left focused on of all things – the handball incident in the France Ireland world Cup qualifier!

Overall, the programme was strong, and pieces that showed the graduates strengths appear to have been chosen.

The evening was a well put together one. As has become the norm, there as a photo exhibition featuring the graduating students, in the lobby; there was a small well stocked cash bar; and some well appointed tables to sit at.

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Having drawn 0-0 in the away leg, New Zealand needed to win this game. Bahrain, due to the away goal rule, could settle for a draw.

The Westpac Stadium was sold out; the crowd numbered 35,194 – the biggest crowd for a soccer match in New Zealand. There were maybe 500 Bahraini supporters – a quite clump of red in an otherwise all white stadium. The New Zealand fans had heeded the call and had all turned up in white to support their team – popularly known as the All Whites. The crowd had two volumes: loud and very loud.

Bahrain made much of the early minutes, forcing some tentative looking saves from the New Zealand goalkeeper. But then the All Whites took control of the game, and Baharain weathered attack after attack. The crowd sensed that a goal would come. Especially when Chris Killen’s no-look turning volley beat the Bharaini goalkeeper and struck the crossbar. Rory Fallon was denied by a great piece of keeping: the goalkeeper, Sayed Jaffar, going right managed to throw out his left hand and punch out the header. Finally, in the 45 minute, Rory Fallon put in a superb header.

Bahrain came out in a more attacking mode in the second half, but after a Mark Paston penalty save in the 52 minute, the game started to slip away from Bahrain. Baharain continued to make flashing raids into the All Whites’ penalty box, but the New Zealand defence kept them out. The crowd went wild when the whistle went for full-time. The All Whites did a lap around the stadium, to thank the fans, to a well deserved standing ovation.

From a New Zealand perspective it was the perfect result.

Objectively, it was a good game to watch; especially in the second half when Bahrain attacked more.

Bahrain did not get much of a look-in in the first half. The All White defended well, not giving the more nimble Bahrainis much time or room on the ball. Ryan Nelsen, the All Whites captain, did a superb job directing the defence.

Bahrain attacked more in the second half, but did not trouble Paston; all the while the crowd chant “White White” and the All Whites continued to press.

The All Whites were patient when in pocession, building up from the back, and lobbing the ball deep up field to find Fallon, Smeltz or Killen. Bahrain always looked dangerous with the ball at their feet, but did not create many chances; and certainly did not capitalise on the ones that they were able to create.

The All Whites decision to play three strikers played off. The all Whites were able to play attacking football for around 65 minutes. With only 7 minutes left in the game, Ricki Herbet, the All Whites coach, took Chris Killen off, and put Chris Woods on – striker for striker.

Chris Wood is a player who looks like he is going places: he is only 17, yet is as big as Rory Fallon, with some useful ball skills – he is strong in the air and can beat defenders with the ball.

Now New Zealand has an even bigger job – preparing for the biggest tournement in the world. They weill want to give a good account of themselves.

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I went to see the the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 2009 production of Peter Pan, at the St James, in Wellington; they have made some changes since I last saw it in 2004.

There were lots of children in the audience, and one little girl even gave a big cheer part way through! There were even boys in the audience.

Alessia Lugoboni, was wonderful in the part of Wendy; she was by turns a light little girl; and a girl on the verge of womanhood (she mothers the Lost Boys and unknowlingly gets into a three way tustle for Peter’s affection).

Sir Jon Trimmer seems to have found a fifth or sixth wind; his portrayl of Captain Hook was brilliant – better than when he last danced it. He even did a little Michael Flattery sequence when he thinks he has won – poisoned Peter, and about to make the Lost Boys, Wendy and her Brothers, walk the plank

Rory Fairweather-Neylan danced Peter, bringing energy and boyish charm to the part.

The fly-out-the-window sequences have rally come along since 2004; it really does seem like they are flyiong out the window and climbling up towards the “Star on the right.” In terms of flying, the additional use of projection really gives a sense of flying to and from Neverland.
But, the Company should ditch the dummies on poles. This is the 21st century, and they should either be bold enough and put in aerial dance trained dancers; or just let the dancers dance – afterall Swan Lake is able to carry off the swans swimming on a lake without recourse to painted decoy ducks pulled by ropes.

I really liked the end of the Second Act, when Peter and Tinkerbell danced together. It wasn’t quite a pas de deux, but the nature of their relationship is explored and exposed.

Catherine Eddy took on the challenging role of Tinkerbell; Tink, must be light (she is a fairy after all), fun loving (that is why she is jealous of Wendy – because she sees that Peter will ave fun with the latter rather than with her), impulsive (short the girl-monster boys!), and given to displays of emotion (fist pummeling empty air and the odd swipe at the Lost Boys and Peter). The displays of anger and frustration seemed out of place in a fairy; aren’t they
suppose to be happy creatures – isn’t that why clapping revives them? Hopefully the choreograper gives Tink some other motif next time.

Lucy Balfour made the most of her Tiger Lily role.

Abigail Boyle gave a delightful protrayal of the Neverbird, who rescues Peter from the rock; her wonderful costume was very eye catching.

The costumes were great. The pirates have been spruced down, and now look like the crew from “Pirates of the Caribean” – I swear that there is a Johnny Depp look-a-like! The Lost Boys look like playful squirrils – lots of rolling around on the ground in their furry costumes!!

Paul Matthews makes the most of sequences as Mr Darling: with some funny ‘do as I say, and not what do as I do’ parenting at the beginning of Act I.

All-in-all quite enjoyable.

The music was clever; each group got a separate tune; the Darlings/Family got the best – it sounded like a variation of the Kermit-the-frog’s dream song.

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I went to the opening night of Jacqueline Coats’ one act play, Steel Ballarina, the other night, at BATS Theatre. This performance played to a full house.

This play is inspired by the latter half of Dame Margot Fonteyn’s life. At the age of 42, on the verge of retirement, she establishes a dance partnership with Rudolf Nureyev – recently defected from Russia. Thus probably the dancer of his generation and the dancer of a prevous generation unite to form one of the most well known partnerships in ballet; thereby cementing Nureyev’s place in history and placing Dame Margot at the fore of another generation.

The play explores Dame Margot’s motivation for dancing another 20 years past the time when most other ballerinas normally retire. The play exposes both Fonteyn’s and Nureyev’s need to dance, and the support they gave each other as time finally caught up with Fonteyn (both with her and her husband Tito) and as AIDS caught up with Nureyev.

The play has two actors: Mel Dodge and Pagan Dorgan. One plays Fonteyn’s fictional companion and caregiver – Ana; the other plays Fonteyn the dancer. The programme does not say who is which so I will refer to them as ‘Ana’ and as ‘The Dancer’. The play is a little complicated as Ana is sometimes Fonteyn addressing the audience, and sometimes herself. Ana has most of the dialogue; sometimes conversing with apparent recordings of Nureyev. The Dancer dances – to classical or other music – whenever the playwright wishes to reinforce the mood of Fonteyn dancing.

The play begins with a rather confusing sequence which appears to be the two characters being driven to the hospital, when Fonteyn is very ill. The majority of the play is one long flashback picking up the highlights of Fonteyn’s life from the time just before she partners with Nureyev to her retirement. The play ends with Fonteyn’s death. The death scene consists of The Dancer doing a variation of the Dying Swan, complete with a shower of feathers.

I went away a little disappointed that there was not more dancing, what there was was technically adequate, but not light or soft as Dame Margot would have done it. But after consideration, I decided that it is a play, and not a dance; so what dancing there was, was adequate and sufficient to create the right mood. And besides there is only one Dame Margot, what accomplished ballet dancer would want to hold herself up for direct comparison?

All-in-all worth going to: strong story and innovative direction.

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It is set in a ‘near future’ Johannesberg, South Africa. Where an huge Alien spaceship has floated above the city for 20 years. Where for 20 years the million plus (and multiplying) crew/passengers have lived in District 9 – in one massive ghetto. The film holds up a mirror for South Africa and the world.

Yes, the Aliens are treated very badly; and are being cleared out of their shanties to a new place – District 10 – where they can be better looked after – or is that controlled? (and where they can make the sequel); “you don’t want to be there it is like a concentration camp” – as if District 9 isn’t one already.

Humans can’t work any of the Alien technology; because, the equipment is keyed to DNA/biology. Yet, there are big business interests who are becoming increasingly frustrated at the delay in exploiting the Alien technology.

Into all of this steps Wikus Van De Merwe (superbly played by Sharlto Copley) – a mild mannered civil servant. What happens to him and the events that unfold around him will change the status quo and forms the film.

I am glad that I have watched all of the Aliens, Mad Max and Starship Trooper movies, they prepared me nicely – inured me – for the splatter elements in this movie. It is a good movie – but very violent. Neill Blomkamp has done a good job with the directing.

There might be a sequel – District 10. Events are set up nicely for one, with Wikus missing, his manipulative father-in-law still on the scene, and promises made by the aliens.

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The other night I went to Toi Whakaari’s – New Zealand Drama School – production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Previous productions that I have seen did not really hold my attention, but I was intrigued by the billing around “circus and burlesque”. so off I went.

There was an air of expectiaon in the lobby, and when we were allowed in the theatre space, there was more promise – circular seating: theatre in the round with just a hint of a circus tent.

The plot is quite convoluted: Hermia has two suitors – Lysander and Demetrius; Helena her friend has none – Demetrius having transfered his affection to Hermia; Lysander and Hermia run away, because Egeus (Hermia’s brother) favours Demetrius; in the woods Lysander and Demetrius are bewitched into loving Helena; and by the time it is all sorted out out Lysander is back with Hermia and Demetrius is back with Helena; oh, someone else is turned into a donkey; and there is a play within a play.

The directing team – Josette Bushell-Mingo and her assistant Julian Pellizzaro – are to be thoroughly congratulated. The circus and burlesque techniques fit perfectly into the story; they are not a clever contrivance that stands out. Of course fairies waft through the air on tissu. Of course mischeivous sprites are nasty clowns. Burlesque makes the lovers and attractions a little earthy, but its what happens in the darkly enchanted forrest at night! Bottom and Titanias’ attraction to each other is a physical attraction – it is not the plutonic attraction more often seen in BBC-type productions – the burlesque approach removes all doubt as to what they are really getting up to.

Deborah Pope is to congratulated for teaching the drama students circus skills and polishing them to a performance standard, and not doubt working the circus into the wider play. The drama students are to be congratulated for mastering circus techniques and employing these in the play. Particularly: the tissu performers; Moana Ete’s suspened hoop work, as Titania; Jonathan Kenyon’s juggling as Lysander; and Tola Newbery’s stilt walking and bullwhip work, as Oberon.

I was so engaged that I took in the final play-within-a-play segment, which seemed like of a teaser for Romeo and Juliet. The casting of Tom Snout, the wall, played by Esmee Myers, as a mime artist was brilliant; as was the casting of Francis Flute, Thisbe, played by Sam Wang, as a kabuki player.

Three characters really stood out: Helena (played by Chelsea Bognuda), (Nick) Bottom (played by James Tito) and Puck (played by Micheal Leota). I found Puck a little too tragic; I prefer my Pucks more on the micheivous side. Bottom was just perfect. And Helena was how I imagined she would be.

Definitely worth going to; the theatre in the round combined with the earthy circus/burlesque approach, made for a ‘as Shakespeare probably staged it’ feel. I felt like I should have thrown money at the end!!

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Having read about the Danish style of ballet, I looked forward to seeing a quitissential Danish ballet work. (Actually, the Royal New Zealand Ballet was founded by a proponent of the Danish style, so I should have noticed the jumps and active male partnering long before this!)

The programme:

• Dances from Napoli
  • Pas de Six
  • Flower Festival
  • Tarantella
• La Sylphide

- originally choreographed by August Bournonville.

I was struck by Flower Festival – Michael Braun brought lift and a sense of (his) enjoyment.

Then it was onto the main fare: a man – James – about to get married falls in love with a Sylph (a spirit). Who said the Scots were a dour lot! So off he goes – following his heart – leaving his own wedding celebration. It all ends badly: not the least because he humiliates the village hag (‘Madge’ – played by Sir Jon Trimmer, with a real feeling for the part). Michael Braun is James, and the Sylph is danced by Antonia Hewitt. Braun is powerful and controlled, and yet able to project the emotions going through the James character.

I liked the wedding – people enjoying themselves – with the Sylph fluttering in and out when only James could see her. The Sylph is very much the marriage wrecker – James trys to resist her, but he is just a foolish man. The wedding is made much more 3-dimensional by the prescence Effie’s little sister – danced wonderfully in character by Emma Brown. The Company is precise as ever, but a ‘little’ girl has shorter legs, so must occassionally run to keep up with the dancers in the reel – wonderfull.

Rory Fairweather-Neylan, as Gurn, was at times quite funny: “I saw a fairy – right there!”. In fact there is quite a bit of humour in the ballet; it is a pity that it turns out to be more along the lines of a Greek tragedy.

Antonia Hewitt and the other sylphs are light and ethereal. It cannot be easy dancing the sylphs, as Marie Taglioni was considered by Bournonville as the quitessential sylph, and it cannot be easy living up to such a legendary ideal. Effie the jilted bride is ably danced by Adriana Harper; the plot does not have very much for her to do, which is a pity.

The two sets – castle and woods – were very good.

I found the two intervals – one after Dances from Naploli, and the second between the two acts from La Sylphide – had the effect of making the evening very ‘bitty’. The very traditional choreography also added to the sense that this was a series of dances – unlike ‘newer’ ballets which have smoother transitions between dances. It seemed a little 2-dimensional.

But I did get to see an example of the Danish style. There were a many jumps – particularly by the men – and in the pas de deux’s the women were unsupported and their male partners had equal time.

Being a softy, I wish James and the sylph had not died. But he was a most ungenerous soul on his wedding day – casting out the village hag into the cold. And he did break his oath, so he certainly got his come uppance.

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The Victoria University Memorial Theatre was transformed through lighting, colour and a little bit of incense.

There were five works:

• Natesha Kautuvam
• Ardhanareeshwara
• “Enneenna vilaiyadalamma …”
• Darpana: Reflections
• Shiva Geeta Mala

Natesha Kautuvam was danced by the more advanced students in Vivek Kinra’s Dance Academy. Whereas the other pieces featured dancers who had graduated from the Academy and Kinra. The contrast was interesting, to my uneducated eye, the senior pupils seems very good, but the graduates clearly were much more assured and several levels ahead.

I found the Ardhanareeshwara piece – a solo by Kinra – fascinating. The dance is around the methological figure of Ardhanareeshwara who is half man and half woman – Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. Kinra dances as a man with the right side of his body and as a woman with the left side of his body. The aim, I infer from the programme, is to arrive at a balance. This piece was introduced with an English explanation, with Kinra showing off the basic dance metaphors that would be used in the piece itself.

Even though the last piece Shiva Geeti Mala took up the entire second half, I get the feeling that it was a significantly truncated from the original 17 chapter poem.

The story appeared fairly simple: Lord Shiva is seen by his consort dancing with the celestial nymphs and becomes angry with him, and takes herself away, but they are eventually reconcilled. I suspect in the longer versions of the work (and poem), Nandi (danced by Anjali Pande) – the bull – plays a much more significant role than I saw last night. Still, Nandi was clearly in thrall to Lord Shiva; perhaps he is there to show Lord Shiva’s supremacy over all. Which of course, counter-points Parvati’s several rejections of him. Perhaps to show that everyone – even the supreme one – can be held to account.

The Apsara – the celestial nymphs – are danced with grace, and so of course Lord Shiva wants to dance with them. Parvati understandably is hurt by this, especially when she has made a long journey to be with him. There is some very clever use of lighting and back projection to show Lord Shiva’s court at the top of the Himalayas, and Parvati’s journey through the jungle.

Kinra dances the part of Lord Shiva, and for all that he is a god; he is clearly upset by Parvati’s rejection. But, perhaps from a western perspective, it is Shrividya Ravi, as Parvati, who almost steals the show. Her portrayal of the slighted, pinning, yearning Parvati is much more accessible than the magnificant god Shiva.

Sakhi (danced by Ashleen Deepika Singh) is Paravti’s friend who acts as peacemaker between her and the Lord Shiva.

The finale gave another insight into this dance form. The pas de deux with Lord Shiva and Parvati differ very much from the western forms that I am more familiar with: the tendency is to day alongside each other – almost never facing each other, and seldom touching each other. Female Bharata-Natyam dancers don’t need to be supported! Bharata-Natyam dance has elements of grace, speed, power and rhythm; the dancers often slap their feet in time to the music, and at other times leap and land silently; there is also use of the shoulders, arms and hands.

I realised about a third of the way through Shiva Geeti Mala, that the sound track included vocals – so that had I understood Hindi (?) even more of the story would have available to me. I think the production achieves a good balance between the use of English and Bharata-Natyam’s ethnic roots.

I enjoyed my first evening of Bharata-Natyam dance. I think that there is something for everyone – including food. At the interval, the food was Indian.

I was disappointed by two things: the light from the control room was too bright and illuminated the back third of the theatre; the first night audience was relatively lsmall. The latter disappointment is for the Company, who clearly worked very hard to produce a quality production.

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This book tells the stories of 16 ballet dancers, concentrating on their successful transition from being a professional dancer into another role. Of course it is not possible to discuss transition without summarising the dancer’s careers, and how they got into ballet. From that perspective it is a quick way to acess a large slice of ballet ‘history’ – all be it from a North America point of view. There is also some handy resources for anyone transitioning, or considering transitioning, out of being a profession dancer, in the appendices.

The dancers are:

• Edward Villella
• Violette Verdy
• Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride
• Ben Stevenson
• Nancy Raffa
• Michael Byars
• Jeff Plourde
• Erin Stiefel Inch
• Max Fuqua
• Amanda Ose
• Linda Hamilton
• Joysanne Sidimus
• Robin Hoffman
• Christopher Nelson

All of the dancers have things in common: they trained very hard to become dancers, and when they were performing they probably trained even harder. Generally, their bodies could no longer take the physical stresses of classical technique. Some arrived in ballet indirectly – a doctor advised them to take it up, it would improve their gymnastics; for others it was what they always wanted to do. The book examines how they coped when they thing they had worked so hard for, made so many sacrifices for, had attained for a relatively short amount of time, was nolonger available to them. I found myself admiring their dancer achievements and their transition – particularly the transition. For while the training and professional life is hard – there is always a teacher or parent or role model; but the transition is often done – alone, with little support.

There were a number of instances recounted in the book that reall stuck in my mine: Nancy Raffa who was the first women to win the gold medal at the Prix de Lusanne was actually rejected by the School of American Ballet three years previously! Erin Stiefel Inch’s brother is Ethan Stiefel of Center Stage and ABT. Amanda Ose actually never became a ‘full professional’: she danced with the Pacific Northwest Ballet during her training, but got accepted at Stanford, and decided after much self examination turned her back on what would probably have been a dance career to go to an presdigious university.

I found the book extended my knowledge of ballet and of the human condition.

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