Rambert Reviews 'Four Scenes' reviews

I was initially a bit disappointed by the architecture and design inside. It's all a bit Ikea - much painted metal, chrome and block strip floors - and does not feel 'special'. However Sadler's has always been a 'cooking' theatre concentrating on low prices; it's not a theatrical place for going out for a bit of a do, where architecture might matter more. It's true to its function and viewed in that light it's really rather good.

The view of the stage from the very top was excellent, though for taller people things still remain a bit tight for the knees. The rake in the stalls is good and I could see well. There is also a lot of knee room! I gather that the view from the back of the stalls can be problematic as the tier above chops off the top of the stage. But overall a great improvement and for the performers a much bigger and deeper stage.

At Tuesday's grand opening night, there was a message from de Valois (now too frail to travel) and Chris Smith, Gerry Robinson (Arts Council Chairman) and Lady Solti all said a few appropriate words. It wasn't the night for making political points, but I fancied that Smith and Robinsons fulsome praise of Sadler's Wells' management and their absolute commitment to making it happen was the more heartfelt given the Covent Garden fiasco - almost a: "See - it is entirely possible to deliver a new theatre on time!".

Sadler's mission of (high) art for the masses also plays well at such a time, and much was made of continuing the Lilian Baylis tradition. Shame then that the evening was so effectively kidnapped by the rich and famous decked out in all their very expensive finery - presumably just the sort of gear Baylis would expect from her artisan audience!

Rambert Dance Company were chosen to reopen Sadler's, particularly appropriate since Sadler's was effectively the cradle of UK dance and Ballet Rambert one of its earliest infants, if not the earliest. The company also straddles ballet and modern dance and thus unites audiences who perhaps don't always see eye-to-eye.

The programme was really rather good and I recommend it highly, particularly if you are a ballet 'type' and have reservations about modern dance. There are sizable slabs of Mozart and Handel on tap to ease you on your way and if Merce made you wince, Rambert won't!

The first two pieces, No more Play and Petite Mort, were by Jiri Kylian from Nederlands Dance Theater (NDT). They were created separately but can be seen as a pair, as here, sharing the odd prop and some choreographic fragments. Kylian is both exhilarating and fast and sculptural and static by parts. The limbs are often at odd angles and yet somehow it all looks most harmonious - what his secret is I don't yet know! But both pieces feature some absolutely fascinating and gorgeous pdd, Like MacMillan, he is a master, and if MacMillan conveys love in a perfect way - the way we would like to convey it in dance if we were able - Kylian does the real version with the odd wart here and there.

Petit Mort also features the male dancers striped right back to their pants. It's certainly been ladies' week for those who saw the Birmingham boys similarly attired a few days ago. All in all I found the Kylian really charming and why we don't see more of his work I don't understand.

The second piece, Four Scenes, was especially commissioned by Sadler's for the opening and was created by Rambert's Artistic Director, Christopher Bruce. The notes say it is about children acting out a life, but doing it in the context of a day. So we have awakening to start etc. It was all to a Celtic inspired score by Dave Heath. There is much innocence and play, but also scenes of sex and violence. It's Bruce in reflective mood and I think it will repay several viewings and last well. The sets and costumes, by Es Devlin, were suitably childlike and really caught the eye too.

Last up was Airs by Paul Taylor to short pieces of Handel, at least one of which was originally composed for ballet. First performed by Rambert in 1982 its easy to see why they are doing it 16 years later. It's probably the nearest thing you get to ballet without the pointe shoes. It's very formal at times and gloriously informal at others, but the whole thing is permeated with smiles and love for dance and the music.

The dancers in all the pieces looked on form and it would be churlish to name any of them in particular. I have to say though that it was a pleasure to Josephine Jewkes back (in Airs) and dancing so well after such a difficult year. She also astounded us all later by appearing on stage during the final speeches in a fabulous long dress complete with train and in the most exotic of reds. Even Clement Crisp was moved to express his delight aloud! Nice one Jo.