UK Theatre Network

Napoletango

Created and Directed by Giancarlo Sepe

With an original theme by Luis Bacalov

Produced by Teatro Eliseo

London Coliseum

4 – 6 August 2011

Napoletango follows the story of the Incoronato family, a twenty strong troupe of dancers heralding from Naples, united by one passion in life: to dance the Tango. Fusing traditional Neopolitan music with a combination of Tango styles, the dancers chat excitedly in Italian, conveying the chaos of a travelling circus as they strut and spin, full of the drama and vivacity only the Italians can truly express.

Tango arrives in the form of Pablo Canaro (Pablo Moyano) a dancer from Argentina. In waistcoat and trilby he glides across the stage, swivelling his hips and flicking his two tone brogues out with elegant precision. Moyano's dance moves are as sharp as a wet shave, simultaneously exact and effortlessly smooth.

The Incoronato family move as if they have been possessed by the spirit of Tango. The women in fruit salad dresses and the men in pin stripe suits, stride forwards, arms outstretched with taut precision, abandoning themselves to the strict passion of piano and violin.

The company even strip off their clothes and bed down for the night, creating a gorgeous tableau of dancers snoozing on beds, mattresses and blankets. But even in sleep they are unable to resist the urge to dance. In their boxers and suspenders, the cast dance to the Gotan Project's modern reworking of the Tango, as the accordion's staccato notes are embellished with a modern bass line. The ensemble throw shapes up against the green lit backdrop of the Teatro walls as they move like “drunken cats and snakes”.

The freedom of expression and sensual nature of Tango is illuminated under white lights, as the entire cast are ushered naked behind a plastic sheet to have a shower as the Matriach of the company Concetta Incoronato, (Cristina Donaldo) and their dance teacher, Maddalena Pratico (Elizabetta D'Acunzo) supervise the giggling dancers. When Donaldo and D'Acunzo mop up the floor after their ablutions, their legs sweeping the cloths becomes precise Tango steps, drenched with rigour and flair. Sepe's choreography demonstrates how even the domestic can be transformed into graceful dance.

When a band take to the stage lead by O' Mammifero (Sergio Di Paola), comprised of melodica, violin, drum, sax and guitar we entertainingly witness how everyone plays in their own way, thus leading to a cacophony. The Tango is something uniquely personal, a sound which expresses your own flavour of passion, something more than the 45s that Concetta Incoronota waves in her hand.

By the second half, we learn more of the philosophy of the Tango, despite being in Italian, subtitles inform us of how one should move slowly first, then syncopated, and how a women must follow her man like a faithful shadow. According to D'Acunzo the body of dancers is made of two separate pieces, the upper part is sensual, while the lower part is secret. These aphorisms are acted on with great relish as the dancers display their incredible skill under the bright bulbs of Napoletango glowing behind them. In crimson dresses and charcoal blazers, the dancers swirl suavely to Hollywood Tango's clack of castanets.

The Tango may be an exquisite dance but the cast of Napoletango show it is also a way of life, of expressing pain and passion with flair and elegance. One of the joys of the performance is just how recognizably Italian the performers are. They wear their hearts on their sleeves, erupting into arguments and indulging in meals, they are totally involved in the whole experience of theatre. As the dancers strut up into the aisles, laughing, shouting and causing chaos, they invite members of the audience to join them. The stalls burst into a riot of dance and colour, as the Tango possesses the audience with wild abandon, flings its head back and whips its heels against the night.

http://www.eno.org/see-whats-on/productions/production-page.php?&itemid=1623

MIDNIGHT TANGO

Starring  Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone

 

KING’S THEATRE

Tuesday 26th July @ 7.30pm

 

Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace have dazzled television audiences for six series of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing with their stunning Tango routines. Now they have created their own live show - Midnight Tango – a breathtaking evening bringing all the drama, sensuality and elegance of this most exciting of dance forms to life.

Listings:
King's Theatre and Theatre Royal

297 Bath Street

Glasgow

G2 4JN

 
www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow

Ailey 2, the youth company of the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater are currently across the pond, and touring UK theatres.

The 12 dancers in the team will entertain you with diverse and athletic dance routines to scores such as gospel blues from the American South.  Each routine tells  a story with historical and spiritual influences.

The costumes and lighting are delicate and enhance the 'other-worldly' performances. Each show is comprised of different routines, each with their own designers; but they link perfectly.

The performances are slick, and well choreographed under the guidance  of 70 year old Artistic Director Sylvia Waters, who herself was once a member of the company.

It is a relaxing and captivating evening's viewing; and Ailey 2 will no doubt continue their success in the US by garnering new fans here in Britain. It is only the second time in 40 years that the youth division have visited the UK, so take this chance to see them in action.

King's Theatre, Glasgow
Tues 22nd and Wed 23rd Feb 2011
£11 - £23
Box Office: 08448 717 648 (bkg fee)
www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)

For further tour dates visit: www.danceconsortium.com
 

 

 

 

 

Spirit Production's production of 'Dancing Queen' is most definitely not going to make you dance in the aisles. 

Haphazard dancers who appear to have just learned their steps mark out routines which are amaturely  choreographed. There is none of the slickness and professionalism that one would expect from a show touring major venues and charging west-end prices.

Four principle performers lead the troupe. There are some excellent vocal performances from them, but also some poor ones; showing they just aren't of a consistent standard to be able to front a large-scale show. Jonathan de Mallet Morgan looked embarrassed to be on stage, and uncomfortable in his body in this performance.
It took the cast almost the entire first-half (consisting of some hugely popular Abba numbers) to get the audience clapping along.

Costume designs are uninspired, and do nothing to enhance the production. The costumes have all the quality and craftsmanship of a show at a caravan park in Cleepthorpes.

For a show with no narrative, it relys entirely on it's adaptation and execution of Abba's vocals and dance routines; and these just aren't up to scratch. At times they are almost laughable. During one number- 'Gimme Gimme Gimme'- dancers appear in lingerie posing on chairs. It has all the class and sophistication of a strip show at a gentleman's club.

If you are a major Abba fan and are just looking for a fun night out with the girls; then maybe this is suitable for you. However, if you are expecting to be wowed by vocals and see slick and perfected dance routines that one would expect from a show like this; then this isn't the production for you. 

Tues 1st - Sat 5th June 2010
Tues - Thurs & Sat eves 7.30pm
Fri 5pm & 8pm
Sat mat 2.30pm
Tickets £11 - £23
Box Office 0844 871 7648
www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow
 

Strictly Tap Dance Fever

Darlington Civic Theatre

Billed as ‘a whistle stop tour of the greatest tap dance moments in show business history’, Strictly Tap Dance Fever certainly has the audience tapping their feet and clicking their fingers. Accompanying the nifty footwork were the obligatory yells of ‘Hup!’, ‘Hey!’ and ‘Wehay!’ from the male members of the energetic and talented young company.

Routines set to numbers including It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing, Putting on the Ritz and 42^nd Street, added a sassiness, sophistication and style to the proceedings, and the choreography by Emma Rogers was, at times, quite breathtaking.

The performance was led by Steven Serlin, whose rendition of Mr Bojangles was spine-tingling, and Lara Denning. Unfortunately, Miss Denning lacks the voice, charisma and stage presence of a leading lady and this is emphasised when she attempts to tackle the big, belting numbers made famous by Ethel Merman and Peggy Lee.

I could not help but see the irony when, during her performance of Bye, Bye Blackbird, she sounded like a squawking, starving fledgling waiting to be fed a worm.

That aside, the show is a real crowd-pleaser and the first-night audience at Darlington Civic received it with rapturous enthusiasm.

Steve Burbridge.

Runs until Saturday 29^th May 2010.

 

Mark Morris Dance Group

Theatre Royal, Newcastle

Friday 13^th November 2009

INDIFFERENCE is probably the worst reaction that any performance can generate – it means that, for whatever reason, the production has not sufficiently engaged the watcher to provoke a more emotive response.

The Mark Morris Dance Group is renowned for its innovative contemporary dance performances.Indeed its namesake has been described as ‘one of the greatest choreographers of our time’ and his multi-award winning group – which started in 1980 in Brooklyn, New York – is now one of the world’s leading companies. Sadly, their latest repertoire, which played two nights at the Theatre Royal, failed to offer anything outstanding.

Although the auteur will always have a preferred meaning, often the individual will form their own interpretation of what is being performed on stage in front of them. Some may not even look beyond the aesthetics of the piece to find their enjoyment.

The programme comprised four different routines, each with a style, tone and mood of their own. The first, performed to Bach’s Italian Concerto, was perhaps the closest to what might be described as conventional dance.

Going Away Party, a camp, kitsch cowboy routine, entertained the audience with its swivelling hips and gyrating crotches. Personally, though, I felt that almost twenty five minutes of corny country and western was a tad too long.

Three Preludes, which replaced the billed Excursions, was a solo performed by Bradon McDonald to Gershwin’s Preludes For Piano. Costumed in black and white, presumably as a metaphor of the piano keys, the movements were Pierrot-esque.

The final piece, Grand Duo, was a spectacle of ritualistic fist-clenching, feet-stomping and body-writhing, in which the loin-clothed performers were almost tribal in their movement and expression.

What failed to impress me was the clumsiness with which some of the movements were executed. You don’t have to be an aficionado of contemporary dance to spot a wobbly landing or two.

Steve Burbridge.

All aspects of Oscar Wilde's story of Dorian Gray are beautifully captured by Matthew Bourne's company.

 

The emotions and moral intricacies of this gothic fable are performed in a visually exciting, and captivating way; and Terry Davies' score greatly adds to this and portrays the emotions. Gray is a hedonistic and narcissistic young man who makes a pact with the Devil to never age and to become immortal. He lives a immoral and excessive life until he finally gets bored with it all. He falls in love; but has a terrible secret to hide. Whilst his physical beauty shows nothing of his lifestyle or Faustian pact; his 'painting' hidden in the attic bears the scars of every one of his debauched deeds- creating a hideous image of who he really is. Except, in this production, Bourne has chosen to physicalise this painting in the form of a doppelganger of Gray- a decision which highlights the themes of duplicity in Gray's novel, and makes a much more powerful image for the audience; which makes Gray's fears and need to hide the truth even more believable.

 

The dancer's capture this often chilling tale with such ease, and it is truly gripping to watch. A modern design puts Wilde's story firmly in the 21st century; showing how it truly is a universal tale; and fits perfectly with our current image-obsessed world. The dancer's costumes firmly capture this modern and edgy world; where beauty and image are everything. The stark lighting of Paule Constable also capture's the black and white-ness of this fashion society. The dance style is alluring and seductive; and Richard Winsor brilliantly portrays Dorian with real passion and emotion.

 

It is clear that Bourne has put a great deal of thought into his choreography and devising of the

production; and it pays off. Both avid fans of Wilde's work, and new visitors to the tale will thouroughly enjoy this production and the twists that Bourne has added- his modern interpretation; and bringing the homosexual subtexts of the novel to the forefront, for example.

 

A most enjoyable and thought provoking night out. It's a must for everyone.

 

LISTINGS

Dorian Gray

Wed 30 Sep – Sat 3 Oct

Wed – Sat eves 7.30pm

Tickets: £19 - £35

Box Office 0844 871 7647 (Bkg fee)

www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow (Bkg fee)