Metamorphosis Titian: 2012 - Review Roundup

I was highly impressed with Metamorphosis Titian: 2012, a collaboration between the Royal Ballet and National Gallery, giving it a full five stars. This is what the critics made of it:

The Independent

Zoe Anderson in The Independent have given Dame Monica Mason's last production as Director of the Royal Ballet four stars. Anderson begins by stating that it is 'a coherent, stylish evening', continuing by commentating that Machina is the 'boldest' of all three works. The robot is described as 'big and delicate' and Acosta and Rojo's duet is called 'alert'. Anderson remarks, however, that Diana and Actaeon is 'weaker' and how the story has 'far too much repetition'.

Evening Standard

Viv Groskop in the Evening Standard, like me, has awarded Metamorphosis Titian; 2012 five stars. Machina onwards, Groskop explains, showed 'the Royal Ballet at its best'. 'Precise, sinewy movements' is how Groskop describes Watson's dancing, assessing how they 'evoked mechanical grace'. The second ballet, Tresspass, is described as 'episodic', 'haunting' and 'mesmerising', whilst also stating how Marianela Nunez's performance as Diana in the final ballet was 'majestic'.

Financial Times

Clement Crisp in the Financial Times has given the ballet under discussion four stars, commenting how the dances were 'handsome, assured and intruiging'. Machina is described as 'advenurous', the dancing in Tresspass is called 'stunning' and 'ravishing' and the final ballet's score is 'luscious' according to Crisp.

The Telegraph

Mark Monahan in The Telegraph's three star review begins by saying how the ballet is 'one of the most visually arresting dance programmes of recent years'. Diana and Actaeon is called the 'triumph of the evening', whilst differs from the other reviewers by calling Tresspass 'fussily over-the-top'. The robot in Machina is described 'ultimately distracting'.

Metamorphosis: Titian 2012 - Royal Opera House

There are a number of reasons why Metamorphosis: Titian 2012 is so special. The first being that it is part of the London 2012 Festival and so brings together artists from across many disciplines to collaborate on one big project. The second is that it marks the end of an era for not just one, but two familiar faces at the Royal Ballet. This production marks the end of Dame Monica Mason's tenure as artistic director of the Royal Ballet, whilst also being the last production principal dancer Tamara Rojo will dance in. The ballet itself comprises of three ballets inspired by three of Titian's works which are currently on display in the National Gallery (Diana and Actaeon, The Death of Actaeon and Diana and Callisto). The three ballets are named Machina, Trespass and Diana and Actaeon. The final reason why this ballet is so spacial is that it is brilliant.

Machina, the first offering of the night, was brought to us by choreographers Wayne McGregor and Kim Brandstrup. Taking the form of a series of lyrical duets on a stark stage, this ballet resonated throughout the evening and for me, Machina is the one to see. The inclusion of an impressively large tripod playing Diana not only added spectacle but also helped define the atmosphere from the outset, creating light throughout and showing her as an omnipotent and omnipresent being. The performances from Tamara Rojo, Carlos Acosta, Edward Watson and Leanne Benjamin showed the dancers at the top of their game. Acosta and Watson danced like their lives depended on it and Rojo and Benjamin gave sensual performances, undulating around their partners. The juxtaposition of music also added another dimension. The robotic sounds from Diana beautifully contrasted with Nico Muhly's music.

The second ballet, Trespass, offered a completely different dimension to Titian's paintings than Machino. In Trespass, we were transported to a winter wonderland with a set which comprised of a cylinder standing tall in the centre of the stage which allowed, at times, light to pass through to create various effects. Although not as stunningly beautiful as the first ballet, Wheeldon presented a unique take on Titian's work which the audience clearly loved. I did, however, think that he might still be stuck in Alice in Wonderland mode as some of the scenes echoed those chaotic ones in Wonderland. As a whole, this was an accomplished piece of dance.

The third and final ballet, Diana and Actaeon, was clearly the weak link. Given the most inexperienced choreographers (Scarlett, Tuckett and Watknins) this ballet took place in the wilderness of flowing vines. Compared to the previous two ballets, this offered a much more literal take on the story of Diana and subsequently failed to ignite any passion (the costumes were also horrendous). Saying this, it did round of the evening well and again, gave a different perspective on the paintings.

I believe that we must judge Metamorphosis: Titian 2012 as a complete cross-discipline piece of work. From the great exhibition in the National Gallery to the poems written and now the ballet, this epic event offers an invaluable insight into three of the most treasured works in the art world. As a whole experience I would have to give it five stars. It is the most fitting end to Dame Monica Mason's tenure as I can think of, showcasing talent both old and young - paving the way for new practitioners, artists, dancers and choreographers.

The Physicists - Donmar Warehouse

When Josie Rourke announced her first season as Artistic Director of the Donmar, Freidrich Durrenmatt's absurdest play The Physicists caught my attention for a number of reasons. Both playwright and play I was unfamiliar with and the premise sounded intriguing - three physicists locked in a sanatorium with a political backdrop of the cold war and a murder. What more could you want from a play (especially when housed in a small theatre like the Donmar)?
The premise is simple enough to start. Without giving too much away, the play opens with a bang as we are greeted with the dead body of a nurse, dressed in all white to match the clinical feel of the set. From here we are introduced to many characters, both sane and insane.
My main problem with Rourke's production was not the play (albeit some lines felt out of place), nor was it any of the technicals, instead my main problem was with John Heffernan as Mobias. As what is arguably the main role I would have expected a more solid performance, one which did not feel strained and out of place like Heffernan's did. In one particular scene in the first act, Heffernan as Mobias goes insane and accordingly frantically falls about the set - his acting in this scene seemed highly forced and awkward, never did I believe that what I was seeing was anything more than just a piece of acting in a play. However, the other performances were truly great such as Sophie Thompson as the frightful Doctor and Justin Salinger as Newton.
The play takes many interesting twists and turns, thus keeping the audience engaged and there are also some very funny moments. The ending is a real visual treat and the play to me felt relevant in light of recent scientific advancement, although it did feel more like a piece of fun theatre than anything else which left me leaving slighly underwhelmed.
The Physicists definitely deservs three stars as it is a good piece of theatre which is well directed, visualised and performed (except Heffernan). Four stars feels like a slight push for something which may slip into the back of my mind soon, although I would reccomend it to those who enjoy a good, solid production.

Die Walkure - Opera North/BSH

Wagner's ring cycle is the epic when it comes to opera. Clocking in at nearly 20 hours for the whole cycle, 'the first evening', Die Walkure consumes nearly six of those hours and is probably Wagner's most accomplished opera in the cycle. To take on a whole cycle is a mammoth task for any opera company in both the sheer scale of the task and the amount of money involved and so for Opera North it is quite a challenge. However, it seems that Opera North has lived up to this challenge and has made Die Walkure into an exciting and thrilling opera experience.
Ingeniously, Opera North have decided to stage their cycle over four years and in concert form, leaving behind the gimmicks and fireworks other production fall back on when staging the cycle. This decision by Opera North has to be applauded as it was a huge risk to take - would it leave the audience unengaged? Would we eventually loose interest? I can happily report that it had the complete opposite effect. The five and a half hours passed by in an flash and we, as the audience, were left craving the second day of the cycle; Siegfried. What this staging gave the audience was a chance to fully immerse themselves in the music as for once the orchestra were not hidden in the orchestra pit of the Royal Opera House or at many alike theatres, instead we could see the music being created first hand - something which I believe is vital when it comes to any opera.
Besides from the orchestral staging, another impressive artistic decision taken by Opera North was to have a triptych of screens above the orchestra which were flooded with beautiful and mesmerising video footage such as a dense, snowy forest in Siegmund's escape and the running stream turning a blood red at his death. The screens really added another dimension to what was already a wonderful production.
The cast were all at the top of their game, bringing the fiery intensity needed for every character in Die Walkure. Erik Nelson Werner gave a passionate account of a man who's love for Sieglinde meant more than life and Katarina Karneus gave a brilliant diva-like quality to Fricka. The Valkyries also gave stellar performances, pleading with their father to not punish their beloved sister.
Five stars somehow does not seem a high enough rating to give this exquisite concert hall staging of Wanger's masterpiece. Everything seamlessly fell into place and helped create a truly unique afternoon at the opera. I will most definitely be in attendance at Opera North's staging of Siegried, the next (and penultimate) opera in Der Ring de Nibelungen.

Antigone - National Theatre

Antigone, the infamous Greek tragedy written by Sophocles, tells the story of a defiant woman who goes against the state to fight for what she believes in. This defiant woman is played by Jodie Whittaker in Don Taylor's new version of Sophocles' masterpiece which also stars Christopher Eccleston as Creon, the ruler of Thebes.
Directed by Polly Findlay, this modern day adaptation has been located to a bleak office reminiscent of war bunkers - the state's headquarters. The set is vast, desks adorn the stage and the chorus acting as Creon's advisers watch a small screen bewildered and shocked at what they are witnessing until at last a victory is announced. This is a terrific start, setting a dark tone and fast pace to what quickly becomes a disappointing production. As with most productions in the Olivier, the drum revolve is brought into play as the set revolves to reveal a wall at which Antigone and her sister Ismene meet. Annabel Scholey brings a brilliant degree of terror to the troubled Ismene, whilst Jodie Whittaker's Antigone (complete with a jarring Manchester accent) is weak and not strong-willed enough for us to believe that she is strong enough to go against the state in a society in which women are subservient. I can't help but feel that Annabel Scholey would have made a more convincing and engaging Antigone.
Christopher Eccleston's Creon is, like Whittaker's Antigone, not strong enough for the production and for the audience to believe that he is such a dictatorial ruler. With these rather weak performances, the production as a whole lacks drama which is essential for a Greek tragedy centred around the themes of death and the Gods. The only injection of drama comes from the entry of Tiresias in the latter part of the production, however, the electronic sound scape which accompanies his entrance is not fitting with the production as a whole. Jamie Ballad's performance of the blind and disfigured prophet is blistering and thrilling, combining a twisted wit and gruesome frustration.
As a whole, Polly Findlay's production just falls short of the mark in terms of dramatic intensity and performances, Saying this, the production is not overly weak and some of the performances are intense leaving some lingering sense of tragedy. I am going to give this production a low three stars, just clawing out of a high two stars.   

Detroit - National Theatre

Detroit is the hilarious, shocking and hard-hitting new play from Lisa D'Amour. Set in an unknown 'first-ring' suburb, D'Amour's play deals with the relationships and dynamics between two couples - Ben and Mary, and Kenny and Sharon. Austin Pendleton directs this terrific ensemble, creating an exciting and current piece of theatre.
The performances in this production are terrific and tragically comic; Justine Mitchell's Mary is dry and filled with bubbling emotions whilst Will Adamsdale plays Kenny as a frantic and dangerous character who really sets this play alight, igniting a visceral energy which ripples throughout the audience. Clare Dunne as Sharon, in the latter part of the one act drama, also offers a highly kinetic performance which is thrilling to watch. There are some truly comic moments in this production, one featuring a lot of alcohol and loud music, which really highlights the tragedy of the chracters' lives; Pendleton and D'Amour give the audience some striking contrasts which are beautiful, but at the same time are also disturbing as we see these characters' lives spiral out of control in such a hectic and care-free manner. The staging is also inventive and possesses a voyeuristic quality which adds to the intimacy of the production. 
The last fifteen minutes of this intoxicating production, however, fails to ignite the same energy that the play previously possessed and feels ever so slightly dull. I found myself wondering why we needed the inclusion of a fifth character to spell out what had just happened to the audience as if we hadn't just seen the play. It added nothing and took away some of the surreal magic of the previous scene.
Despite the disappointing ending, this is great piece of theatre which I loved and would highly recommend. I would have been tempted to give Detroit a full five stars, however because of the ending I am going to have to knock it down a star to four.    

Yayoi Kusama - Tate Modern

'Captures the ever changing motions of life'

This is just a quick review of the Yayoi Kusama retrospective at the Tate Modern.

Yayoi Kusama has never been big over here in the UK and so prior to this retrospective I had little knowledge of Kusama or her work, except that she like dots. Unlike the Damien Hirst retrospective down the escalator, this retrospective supplies the public with a huge span of Kusama's career that is both insightful and touching as we can see her work becoming more and more intense as her psychological condition deepens through the years.
To start, we are greeted with her most early works on paper which are simple yet stunning. Some of these works are dark and mysterious whilst others are bright and intense. As the retrospective continues we see the paper turn to canvas and the work become bigger and bigger, whilst still retaining the beautiful colours and avant-garde style.
Kusama, as well as working with paint and canvas, also deals with installations and sculptures which provide some breathtaking moments. The first of which is Aggregation: One Thousand Boats Show which shows us her fear of sex and the male penis; it makes for an emotional instillation. The final room in this brilliant, if not wacky, retrospective of Yayoi Kusama's career is Infinity Mirrored Room - Filled with the Brilliance of Life (specially made for this exhibition) which sums up the whole visual journey this exhibition provides you with. Once you leave this room, and indeed the exhibition, space never really looks the same as what you have just witnessed is an instillation which captures the ever changing motions of life. I'm Here, But Nothing is another example of this artist's brilliance.
The Yayoi Kusama retrospective is well worth a visit and proves Kusama is an artist of outstanding quality who blends emotional clarity with the abstract almost seamlessly.

'Yayoi Kusama' in on at the Tate Modern until 5th June 2012

Polyphonia/Sweet Violets/Carbon Life - Review Roundup

Bill Cooper - Royal Opera House

When I saw this new mixed programme on opening night I wasn't overwhelmed, nor was I dissapointed. It stood somewhere is the middle of the two. This is what the critics made of it:

The Telegraph
Sarah Crompton in The Telegraph gave the programme a generous four stars and stated that she thought Carbon Life was 'a blast', though she wasn't 'entirely sure that the piece...will have that long a shelf life' - something which I agree with and wrote about in my review. Crompton continues by saying that 'it looks lovely' and that 'the whole thing has visceral energy'. However, she was 'less keen of Gareth Pugh's angular costumes'. 'It feels like a young man's ballet, but the talent shown within in it is seriously mature' is how Crompton concludes her review of Sweet Violets - coming to the conclusion that it is 'Polyphonia which provides the most thoughtful and refined treat of the evening'.   

The Independent
Zoë Anderson in The Independent gave a less complimentary review of the programme, giving it an overall rating of three stars. 'Busy' is how she describes Wayne McGregor's Carbon Life - Anderson also states that the 'music and dancing both get repetitive', yet the 'gorgeous beginning' is 'shamelessly pretty'. Sweet Violets is decribed as being a 'mess of bad and good ideas', but also compliments the 'superb cast', which I found was 'perfect'. Like Sarah Crompton in The Telegraph, Anderson calls Polyphonia 'sleek and just right' - a sign that they found the two new works inferior to the opening of the programme.  

The Guardian
Judith Mackrell in The Guardian has given the Royal Ballet's new mixed programme an average three stars. Like the other reviewers, Mackrell found that it was Polyphonia which 'takes the honours' as its 'scrupulous, passionate cast, exposes the excess baggage' the two new works hold. Talking of Liam Scarlett's Sweet Violets, Mackrell states that it 'could be a seriously fine ballet' if it weren't for 'too many characters' and 'too much back story'. When it comes to Wayne McGregor's new work Carbon Life, Mackrell believes that it 'lacks the eerie internal beauty' of his 'best work', though also pointing out that it 'rocks, exactly as it was meant to'.

Financial Times
Clement Crisp in the Financial Times has awarded this programme two stars, beginning by saying that 'Polyphonia came to the rescue of an otherwise disappointing programme'. Crisp states that Liam Scarlett's Sweet Violets is 'emotionally clogged' and a 'long-winded event'. Carbon Life, a new work by McGregor, is stated to have 'superb lighting', yet 'the innate classicism of his [McGregor's] dancers and the tics of his mannerisms...distorts...the qualities of his cast'.  

The rest of the reviews are not out yet and I will add them when appropriate.

Polyphonia/Sweet Violets/Carbon Life - Royal Opera House

Christopher Wheeldon's Polyphonia

Before coming to see this new mixed programme from the Royal Ballet, I had little knowledge of Polyphonia yet knew quite a bit, surprisingly, of Liam Scarlett's new ballet Sweet Violets and Wayne McGregor's new piece Carbon Life. Of course, they were the ballets everyone was waiting for, but did they live up to the hype they created?
First up was Christopher Wheeldon's Polyphonia, an abstract piece set to György Ligeti's sharp and jumpy music. As much as I enjoyed this refined and visually beautiful piece, it's quick wit and soft touch made in lose focus for me. Many of the sequences were haunting and emotionally taught, but when the odd humorous gesture was thrown in for good measure it lost some clarity of the direction it was heading in, and how it wanted its audience to view it. Despite this, I did enjoy this quick and lyrical work which no doubt will remain in the Royal Ballet's repetoire for many years.
Carbon Life, on the other hand, will most probably not stay in their repertoire. I say this not because it is bad, but that to create the full effects it would need the original performers and band. Carbon Life is the new ballet by the Royal Ballet's choreographer is residence Wayne McGregor - it combines dance, music and visual aesthetics to create a show which is maybe trying to be a bit too clever. Split into segments, this ballet charts the cycle of life and love. The opening of this new work shows the dancers naked as embryos - their bodies flowing in pools of gold light - and it ends with them in Gareth Pugh's multi-angled black hats, tutus and gloves. As cutting edge as this new work was, some of the segments were messy and badly calculated, whilst others were tight which created a polarisation in the piece.
The inclusion of live music from Mark Ronson, Boy George, Alison Mosshart and many others provided the audience with some great and memorable tracks. The problem, though, with this very direct musical approach was that it was distracting as I found myself focusing of Mosshart's fiery red hair instead of some of the duets between the dancers - which was taking a backseat? Sadly, I would have to say the dancers who came across as backing dancers throughout. I did love the individual components of this performance, but something just didn't fit; it was missing a gel which, if present, would have made Carbon Life a highly successful and breathtaking work of epic proportions.
Liam Scarlett's Sweet Violets, a new work taking inspiration from Sickert's paintings of the Camden murder, is full to the brim of sex and violence - making this work a passionate and enthralling piece of dance. Steven McRae, Alina Cojocaru, Laura Morera, Tamara Rojo and Thiago Soares make for a perfect, principal, first cast of this chilling tale set in a world of prostitution, political corruption and bribery. The set, like the action holds a few surprises and the atmospheric lighting adds another dimension to the best work in the mixed programme.      

Playing at the Royal Opera House until Monday, April 23rd.

Damien Hirst - Tate Modern

Exploited for the sake of 'art'.

Damien Hirst shot to fame in the arts scene through the 1988 exhibition Freeze which he curated. Now, two decades on, the Tate Modern is celebrating his career in a first full retrospective which contains many of his infamous and controversial works. I have never claimed to be a fan of Hirst or his works, nor have I been a detractor who has dismissed his art as being nothing more than a 'con'. This retrospective has, however, put me one of the two contrasting groups; the latter.
As I entered this exhibition, I expected it to be a great spectacle and for myself to be wowed. I wanted to see progression and an insight into the workings of Hirst's mind. The first room which contains his early works gave me this - I was able to see his roots through With Dead Head and the first of the dot paintings (one which he actually painted). Boxes also gave me a great sense of Hirst's fascination with colour - a piece that was created in 1988 for Freeze. However, as I progressed through the show, the work didn't seem to progress. From the moment I entered the second room I was seeing perfect spot painting created by his assistants, ahead of me was A Thousand Years and to my left was The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living - what had happened to the rough work of Hirst's Goldsmiths days? These works appeared to be controversial for controversials sake and what hit me (apart from the horrific smell of the rotting cow's head) was that the public in this blockbuster exhibition weren't bothered with the messages behind these pieces, but were more interested in the animals themselves. It dawned on me that Hirst may be hiding behind these beautiful creatures; using them to cover up a lack of meaning in the work - the meaning which always seemed to be death or money or a mix of both.
The continual use of animals and creatures was carried throughout the show and played the major role in In and Out of Love in which butterflies were bred in the exhibition and their beauty was exploited by Hirst. These butterflies, as beautiful as they were, looked tired and tortured. Is using these beautiful creatures for the sake of art morally right? I would answer no. Again, the audience were more bothered in the butterflies and their beauty and not the piece of work as a whole.
This familiar pattern of the repetition of materials and animals led to many of the rooms becoming boring and tired. The constant use of medicine gave me a headache and did nothing for me. What was Hirst really trying to say? I don't know as these works were not refined or interesting in any way or form. I, along with every one else in my party, walked on through these endless rooms without batting an eyelid. Damien Hirst, to me, appeard to be taking objects and giving them a name to make it into art and then sell it for a hefty profit. Another problem I had with this exhibition is that I always felt that I wasn't witnessing Hirst's work, but the work of his assistants. I would love to know how much involvement he had in the 200th or 300th spot painting. Another issue I took with the show is that it was deeply impersonal. When viewing a retrospective I expect to gain some insight into the mind of the artist, but with this retrospective I gained no insight as the work didn't allow us to search inside the inner workings of Hirst's mind. Maybe Hirst wants to distance himself from his work? Either way, it makes for a highly disappointing viewing.
The constant repetition made this retrospective feel like a normal gallery show. As I reached the end of the show I had to come to the conclusion, from what I had just seen, that Damien Hirst's work represented everything that is wrong with some forms of modern art: money. As I reached the end of this boring, badly curated and downright terrible show it appeared that Hirst was creating work purely to sell, thus making a statement about wealth - his wealth.

'Damien Hirst' is on at the Tate Modern until 9th September 2012