'La Fete etrange' reviews RB 'Pierrot Lunaire' reviews 'Pierrot Lunaire' reviews 'Margeurite and Armand' reviews Rojo in reviews Putrov in reviews recent RB reviews more Ami Shah reviews Discuss this review (Open for at least 6 months)

As posted on our Postings pages...

Really?????

Wow.

Glen Tetley's Pierrot Lunaire, the inside filling of the current triple bill at the Royal Opera House, has unleashed an all-new Ivan Putrov. The curtain opens, and we see his Pierrot - innocent, naive, unexperienced, but curious - hanging from his tower. The tower is, originally, his home, his place of comfort, his place to dream about the moonlight and all things nice. He swings through its bars (and the structure does not seem that sturdy!), interlacing his legs and releveing - reaching higher to the skies. Pierrot's experiences on the ground - in the real world - are initially fun. Putrov's boyish charm when he first waves hello to the white-dressed washer-woman, a wave which she does not see, completely displays Pierrot's ideal world. Putrov is Marcel Marceau, a puppet, a young puppy-ish boy, a care-free soul. Until he discovers that he too has wants and desires, and that they can be rejected and manipulated, and he can be hurt.

In some ways, then, Putrov has portrayed this journey before, in Prodigal Son. While the son has a different nature, we nonetheless are exposed to his curiousity, his downfall, his need for comfort. Putrov performed the role excellently - or so I thought until I saw his Pierrot. Now I know he is capable of more. He has every expression right, has learned to maintain his clean line and lightness (features which make Pierrot's moon-struck quality) while moving in a completely different way. Pierrot's journey appears to radiate from within Putrov himself, never making it over-the-top. Someone, please, cast him as Petroushka, maybe even an Apollo. I'd even be interested in seeing his Brighella. Now. Should Putrov maintain this level of dedication and investment in his other roles, increase your over-draft allowance and get your credit cards ready: they will be performances not to be missed. Anyone who has been enthused by his growth as an artist over the past two seasons should not miss this bill.

Obviously, Putrov did not dance alone, and his interactions with the Columbine are central to Pierrot's desires for attention and love, in all their guises. As the Columbine, Dierdre Chapman demonstrates what she does best - subtle yet strong characterisations, all with different movement qualities which she makes quite clear. Her comedic timing is impeccable, and she flips that red hair around so well. Unfortunately, to me, Carlos Acosta did not meet Chapman and Putrov's artistry in his portrayal of Brighella, which seemed to be almost cartoonishly too much. If you have seen the first of the recent Spiderman movies - well, then you know of the evil green guy (whose name I cannot remember). This is a character that cannot be overlayed on top of the choreography, but rather needs to come from within it. The differences of the character begin within their souls.

Needless to say, I had no problem with the music, and wish that I was able to see the other cast - I am eagerly awaiting reports back from this evening!

If this was the filler of the evening, the bread was two more romantic pieces, although ultimately about loss (perhaps this was not the most uplifting of Triple Bills). Beginning with Andree Howard's La Fete Etrange, the evening literally started in darkness. In the opening scene, some of the dancers had no lights on them whatsoever, and I cannot help but think that the dim lighting of the piece only adds to a sense of what other posters have considered 'dustiness'. The set did not help either, with murky green curtains, muted colours, and a wierdly pinkish fountain backdrop. I did also feel, from where I was seated, that the girl's costumes were rather plain and, well, dusty-looking as well, although I was told that from a further distance the colours and contrasts worked gorgeously.

As the Bride, Zenaida Yanowsky is all calmness and beauty. It is no wonder that Brian Maloney's Boy fell for her. Both danced well, and there are some beautifully tender moments of hands - reaching, floating, following. Maloney danced well (and seemed rather chuffed at the end!), and Gary Avis as the Bridegroom commanded a strong presence. However, the piece has yet to set into the company, both in terms of timing and staging, as well as movement quality and atmosphere.

Marguerite and Armand, famously danced by Fonteyn and Nureyev, closed the evening. In recent years, Sylvie Guillem has been the only one to dance the role of Marguerite, and as others have noted, I always felt that I was seeing Sylvie Guillem dancing Marguerite, as opposed to Marguerite danced by Sylvie Guillem (and there is in my mind, a great difference). On the whole, I've never really enjoyed the piece and was mainly interested in seeing if Tamara Rojo's Marguerite could change my mind.

It did. Rojo was charming and heartbreaking. And she managed herself through a number of increasing 'wardrobe malfunctions' with calm and ease. I did think that her portrayal of Marguerite while in red was perhaps a bit too young, and that her exit from that scene, throwing a flower behind her, could have a bit more flair. That said, the following scenes were beautiful, especially her despair after being told that all this cannot be, and the slight exit she makes, bidding farewell to Armand. I daresay that as Armand, Frederico Bonelli demonstrated more passion than he ever has. And his technique seems to be gaining more accuracy and elongation.

Overall, while the programming might be a bit even, the performances made for a very satisfying evening at the ballet.