Richmond

The Thames at Richmond

Author Diliff 
Source Wikipedia

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I arrived home in the early hours of this morning after a diversion via Leeds because I missed my connection from Wakefield owing to a late departure from London. Leeds has much to commend it not least its adoption of Northern Ballet but its attractions are far from obvious at 23:15 in the evening.

My visit to London had not been entirely a pleasure trip.  I had to give a course on Intellectual Property Law and Fashion in the City between 09:30 and 17:00 yesterday which was followed immediately afterwards by a VoIP con with lawyers in London and the United States.  I shuffled into King's Cross trundling heavy equipment and papers as well as a lady's typical accoutrements for a night at the theatre and a day's business with minutes to spare before the advertised departure only to find that my service was not even in the station.

Nevertheless I had a great time in the Smoke and that was largely thanks to the performance of Cathy Marston's Jane Eyre which, as you will note from my review, was the best new work I had seen from Northern Ballet for yonks. The fact that it was so good should surprise no-one  for Marston is an important choreographer. She was Associate Artist at the Royal Opera House between 2002 and 2006 Artistic Director of the Berne Ballet between 2007 and 2013 and the footage on her YouTube channel is amazing. The only surprise to me is that Jane Eyre, which ought to be a flagship work as it towers over 1984 and just about everything else that the company has done since the days of Christopher Gable, was launched in Donny and is being traipsed round Richmond (which is at the end of the tube and awkward to reach from most parts of London) and places like Leicester and Stoke on Trent. A work like Jane Eyre could easily have filled The Grand (if not the Wells) not to mention The Palace in Manchester, the Festival in Edinburgh and The Mayflower in Southampton.

Doubtless there is an explanation and I am not complaining as I know Richmond very well having grown up in Molesey and attended school in West Kensington. My school was just across the Talgarth Road from the Royal Ballet School and one of its students used to catch our train to Barons Court. I can't remember her name and have often wondered what became of her. It was good to return to the theatre on the Green where I have seen many pantomimes.

I didn't buy a programme on Wednesday as I found it was exactly the same as the one I had bought last March for the Simon and Anthony show. I have since had a chance to read the interview with Marston, which confirmed my surmise that the "D-Men" were demons. It also has a lovely photo Gavin McCaig and Abigail Prudames with Marston in rehearsal.

After the show I reflected on its success with a bife de lomo and a glass of Malbec at the Buenos Aires restaurant in The Square. I also found Barreworks not far away and took a peak at one of the classes upstairs. The studio where the class took place was spacious, light and well equipped studio and the students seemed to be having fun but I did not stay long as there was nobody on reception and I did not want to distract the instructor. However, I would love to sample one of the classes on another visit and I shall try out its on-line workouts in the meantime.

The only shadow over my visit to Richmond was that a child or young woman in the seat next but one to me was taken ill during the curtain call. She grasped the lady next to me shouting "Mum", "Mum", "Mum". Her companion asked  for an ambulance and I passed that request onto an usher who acted with commendable alacrity and efficiency. The patient left her foot behind in her haste and I handed that to the usher after the reverence. I feel so sad for the patient and her party. They had just seen something splendid and this attack must have marred their evening. I wish them all the very best.

Northern Ballet's Jane Eyre: the best new Ballet from the Company in 20 Years

Jane Eyre and her Aunt Reed

Author FH Townsend

Source Wikipedia

Northern Ballet, Jane Eyre, Richmond Theatre. 1 June 2016

With one enormous break between 2004 and 2011 I have been following Northern Ballet ever since I returned to the North in 1985. The company has given us some lovely ballets over the years - Cinderella, A Christmas Carol, A Simple Man and, more recently, Madame Butterfly and A Midsummer Night's Dream. In my humble, rustic and simplistic opinion the company's golden age was 20 years ago. At least I thought so until this evening for tonight I saw them perform Jane Eyre at Richmond. I was reminded of their glory days which I never thought I would see again.

Cathy Marston has done wonders with this company.   It is one of the best new ballets I have seen all year from any company and it is the best  new work from Northern Ballet for many years if not decades. The story follows the novel pretty faithfully and the portrayal of several of the characters was just as I had imagined them when I first read the book as a child. In particular Adele danced beautifully by Rachael Gillespie and the first Mrs Rochester danced chillingly by Victoria Sibson. There was some very clever choreography and even cleverer direction,  Especially effective was the flashback scene at the beginning of the performance where Jane's early life - related by Antoinette Brooks-Daw as young Jane  - was echoed by adult Jane, Dreda Blow, behind a screen.

I was a little unsure about Philip Feeny's score at first because it sounded very like Schoenburg's for Wuthering Heights at first (or at least it did to me) but I warned to it especially in the second act. The discordance as Mrs Rochester advanced towards the altar was gripping.  So, too, was the music for the duet as Rochester tried to rescue his mad first wife. I have not enjoyed everything that Feeney has composed in the past but this time he has created a masterpiece.

Great music was equalled by great sets and costumes. Patrick Kinmonth's backdrops reminded me of low Pennine hills and dry stone walls. His costumes, particularly Adele's and Mrs Rochester's, helped project the story.

Hannah Bateman  had tweeted that Blow was lovely in the title role and she was right. Blow is a fine dancer but I have never seen her dance better than she did tonight.   Javier Torres was an excellent Rochester.  He showed arrogance as the squire but also vulnerability and sensitivity in his reverses.   It was a surprise to me that he can do vulnerability as he commands attention on stage and off but crouched in a foetal position clutching his eyes he nearly drew tears. Jessica Morgan was a horrid Aunt Reed and Mlindi Khulashe a fearsome master.

Last night and the day before will be the ballet's only showing in London.  A pity because the house was full and the audience was appreciative. Aylesbury will be its next stop and then a tour of the Midlands.  I hope it will be revived soon. I should love to see it again.

Up to t'Smoke

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Usually at this time of the year Northern Ballet takes a slot at the Linbury. Joanna Goodman saw them there last year and reviewed their performance in Mixed Programme with a Sweet Centre 14 May 2015. Unfortunately the Linbury is closed this year but Londoners can still see them in the capital.

On Mondayon 23 May 2016  Javier Torres will be the guest of honour at the London Ballet Circle. I will be in the front row of the audience to hear him speak.

Between 31 May and 1 June Northern Ballet will dance Jane Eyre at the Richmond Theatre. I am giving a talk on IP law and fashion in London on the 2 June so I will be in the audience on the 1st. My parents moved to Surrey from Manchester when I was very young and I spent most of my childhood and adolescence in that part of England. It is a lovely theatre overlooking the Green and I have fond memories of pantomimes in that auditorium.

One of the performances by Northern Ballet that I most enjoyed last year was Jonathan Watkins's Northern Trilogy and, in particular, Yorkshire Pudding.  For me that was one of the highlights of the Sapphire gala (see my reviews in Sapphire 15 March 2015 and Between Friends - Northern Ballet's Mixed Programme 10 May 2015). Watkins will be London Ballet Circle's guest on 6 June 2016. Here is a video of Watkins from last year (see Jonathan Watkins on Working with Northern Ballet).

After that interview Watkins created 1984 which I don't like anything like as much (see My First Impressions of 1984 12 Sept 2015, Watkins on 1984 14 Sept 2015 and 1984 Second Time Round  24 Oct 2015). However, Londoners will get the chance to judge for themselves as it will be at Sadler's Wells between 24 and 28 May 2016.