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![]() August 2008 Edinburgh, C Venue by Gareth Vile |
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A Night At The Movies might not have been performed by the strongest cast- Greene himself is looking slightly rheumatic, and really does not have the finesse to be a romantic lead- but it has a passion and sincerity that puts many more experimental companies to shame. A series of emotive sketches, it derives power from the sensitive score, the occasional burst of live song and the duets, which connect Russian balletic drama with contemporary expressionism. Each dance is based on a movie- some work well, some less so. Sophie's Choice is reduced to a nasty German shouting while women weep. Casablanca doesn't really elucidate the film's conflict, and All Quiet on The Western Front is simplistic trench warfare in mime. But beyond this- especially for those pieces scored with Part or Bernstein- the dancers tap directly into clear emotions. Here to Eternity is an update on Spring Water, Joan of Arc cribs from Spartacus to- predictably- superb effect. Inevitably, the love duets are the most powerful, although the choreography effectively recalls the high impact and pathos of these old, beautiful films.
This is the sort of work that the Fringe needs: not a major, well-paid company but one willing to be both populist and challenging. The technique is solid, if not spectacular, and the choreography is consistent, if slightly too post-modern in its sampling of other works, A Night At The Movies is, however, certainly, a splendid contemporary work that is inviting to the casual audience but complex enough for the balletomane.
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