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Christopher Hampson,
RNZB Romeo and Juliet | |||||||
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Here is a link to the previous column in the series.
I believe the last time I wrote anything I was in the middle of public holidays (the Queen gets an especially good deal out here). Well R&J has now had its’ Wellington Season and tomorrow the company starts its nationwide tour. The production week was one of the smoothest I’ve ever experienced. It wasn’t without dramas, but the technical rehearsals were well planned and on schedule. I’ve had a documentary crew following me around for the past two months and their prays were answered during that week.
RNZB has 32 dancers so the casting is tight to say the least. I had three men cast for Mercutio and by opening night I was down to one. The first cast had sustained an injury a week before we got into the Theatre. This injury, I was told, would just need a couple of days rest. I’ve learnt, over the years, to do a simple equation when these problems arise: Number of days told + Physios opinion (normally triple the first number) + How much the dancer wants to do the role (this number can go up if they don’t want to do it and down if they have some Nurofen handy and a bit of ambition/competition). Once I’ve done the above equation I double it, think about it and then completely ignore it and get the second cast ready. That’s when the problems started. The second cast thoughtfully got an injury at the last tech run so I turned to the third cast who would have to go on with no stage rehearsal (not ideal, plus the knock on effect of replacing him in his own place within the ballet). In the end the first cast was able to go on and do a simplified version of the role (remember: never trust that equation). The third cast saved the day for the next few nights (very well he did too) and, by the end, the second cast was back (with gusto) and the first casts performances got more on the mark as the week went on. I started the week with one fit Mercutio and have ended it with three very good ones.
 One of Lady Capulet's costumes for the new RNZB Romeo and Juliet The designer is Tracy Grant
The day after opening night, for it was a Saturday by then, was the company’s 50th Birthday Celebrations and I walked into the foyer of the St. James Theatre to see over 300 past members of dancers, crew, admin, and many others. It was quite an amazing sight and I felt so sorry for the cast having to perform in front of a, naturally, highly critical audience. The day was brilliantly organized and I spoke with lots of people about the company’s origins. A huge party after the show gave me another opportunity to test the limits of my liver. Last Thursday I was invited to teach a Master class at the New Zealand School of Dance (Te Whae). I arrived to be greeted by five female students dressed in sarongs and they guided me through a long corridor into an open foyer. That’s when the singing started. We processed very slowly toward a studio door to be met another group of ladies singing back in reply. I took my shoes off, hid the hole in my sock and walked into the studio to be met by the entire school doing what you see the All Blacks do before a rugby match. I was in the middle of a Powhiri, a traditional Maori welcome and it went like this:
Karonga: Welcome call The Hongi took the longest as there was a lot of nose to get round, but I can hand on my heart say that I’ve never had a welcome like it.
As I mentioned earlier, the company now go on tour and unusually for me I’m not leaving the baby with the babysitter after the premiere. I’ll also tour with the company as Guest Ballet Master, affording me the opportunity to continue working and refining the production. So it’s luxuries all round for me at the moment. In five weeks time I’ll be back to the Motherland, and back to a big, busy, dirty, stimulating city (that’s after I pass through the dump that is Heathrow).
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