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Jo Tomalin

Aug 23 2012
Love0

Baryshnikov: Theatre “In Paris”

By Jo Tomalin

Legendary performer Mikhail Baryshnikov comes to Berkeley Rep for a special presentation of In Paris.
Photographer: Maria Baranova

Mikhail Baryshnikov at Berkeley Rep Theatre – In Paris

“In Paris” is a performance piece incorporating movement, music, projections, video, text in Russian and French with English supertitles, adapted from a short story by Nobel Prize-winner Ivan Bunin, about a lonely Russian man who meets a lonely young Russian woman. Set in the city of light, Paris, in the 1930s this romantic tale is creatively brought to life by the cast of seven led by legendary dancer and award-winning performer Mikhail Baryshnivov, and director Dmitry Krymov, who also adapted the story. Mikhail Baryshnikov at Berkeley Rep for a special presentation of In Paris.
Photographer: Annie Leibovitz

Krymov is a painter, set designer and director who develops innovative pieces (that are often silent) in Moscow at the Dmitry Krymov Laboratory which play internationally.  For sure, Krymov’s Laboratory with young actors, his innovative approach to theatre making together with Baryshnikov’s legendary presence and instinctive acting and movement skills make an interesting collaborative group. The result is fascinating. It’s stripped down production style is a welcome challenge to the imagination and engenders complicity with the audience.

Mikhail Baryshnikov (right) and Anna Sinyakina at Berkeley Rep in presentation of In Paris.
Photographer: Maria Baranova

 The transformative set by Maria Tregubova is simple and effective comprising a turntable stage, rigging on view, large cut out images that transport us to Paris and an absurdist looking bar table and chair. The cast interact around and within the set pieces as the revolving scene becomes a Parisian bar, a taxi ride and a wonderful old cinema scene evoked by dim projections of Charlie Chaplin and cigarette smoke (Audio & Video Design by Tei Blow).

Mikhail Baryshnikov (right) and Anna Sinyakina at Berkeley Rep in presentation of In Paris.
Photographer: Maria Baranova

 Baryshnivov’s Russian man and the Russian woman played by Krymov Laboratory member and film actor Anna Sinyakina meet, converse and flirt – they express themselves at first in the bar with brief, abstract movements and attitudes tilting the bar table and chair beautifully (movement Coach Andrey Schukin and Choreographer Alexei Ratmansky). Krymov’s staging is brilliant given the spare text and dialogue – with surreal imagery such as a “Magritte look” when Baryshnikov stands in shadows with an umbrella.

The story and subtext of sentiment is often told through non-verbal moments such as when she changes clothes for the date and as he shaves himself and prepares.  A moment in the narrative that might have been interesting to bring to life was near the end of the date when they were deciding whether to go to his or her place, however, at this point the couple was in shadows and the supertitles covered the stage.

Visionary director Dmitry Krymov teams up with other
Russian artists like Mikhail Baryshnikov for Berkeley Rep’s
special presentation of In Paris.
Photo courtesy of Berkeley Repertory Theatre

All images © Berkeley Repertory Theatre. All rights reserved.

A supporting cast of five from Krymov’s Laboratory play background characters, quietly move set pieces to create the scenes, and help Baryshnikov change clothes onstage as in Japanese theatre. They also sing arias, motets and more to accompany the action and Tei Blow provides a variety of additional music and sound effects that add humor and pathos.

Krymov and his team have created clever effects which are part of the whole in this production, such as the woman’s beautiful  long gown transforming to a short dress (costumes by Tregubova), dramatic lighting by Damir Ismagilov – with humor when the spot light following Baryshnikov walking across the stage seems to develop a mind of its own.  A chase between Sinyakina and Baryshnikov becomes magical – and transforms as she turns upside down into a pietà-like statue. In response, Baryshnikov  transforms his coat into a cape and performs an intensely moving brief matador dance. A wonderful production that sells out fast – see it if you can!

More Information:

  • Baryshnikov Arts Center: http://www.bacnyc.org/

    Additional Tour Dates/Locations: Spoleto Festival, Italy, June 30-July 1, 2012; Lincoln Center Festival, New York City, August 1-August 5, 2012.

Jo Tomalin Ph.D.
Critics World
www.forallevents.com

Jo Tomalin


Aug 22 2012
Love0

Juliette Binoche: Miss Julie

By Jo Tomalin

 Photo: Juliette Binoche as Mademoiselle Julie © Christophe Raynaud De Lage

 

Dazzling Mademoiselle Julie

Imagine a wide white cube with floor to ceiling windows and several tall, lithe, barren tree trunks in the background. There you have the brightly lit stage (set and light Design by Laurent P. Berger) for this contemporized version of August Strindberg’s Mademoiselle Julie, now playing (in French, translation by Terje Sinding) at the world renowned Odéon Théâtre de l’Europe, Paris. While this stark vision may not evoke the traditional home of 1888 when Strindberg wrote “Miss Julie”, it is a perfect canvas for the volatile dance of death director Frédéric Fisbach has created.

Photo: Nicolas Bouchard and Juliette Binoche in Mademoiselle Julie © Christophe Raynaud De Lage

Strindberg wanted to write a tragedy about men and women and the story focuses on the angst and entanglements of male female relationships but with a twist – class issues of master and servant. In this case Miss Julie is the daughter of the owner of the house and Jean is the servant, engaged to Christine the cook. Although scandalous when first produced at end of 19th century Strindberg’s writing and the emotional possibilities of the characters in Miss Julie continue to inspire interpretations and productions worldwide

Fisbach interprets Miss Julie as an existential play that embodies love, desire, and explores naturalism and symbolism. He also sees this as a modern day relatable battle of brains, based on the intelligence + psychology of the two main characters, Mademoiselle Julie played by Juliette Binoche and Jean played by Nicolas Bouchaud.

Juliette Binoche creates an astoundingly believable character physically and emotionally embodying a vast arc and range of sincerity, exuberance, curiosity, naïveté, who is also domineering, passionate and needy. She is masterful at owning the dialogue, as a contemporary woman.

Nicolas Bouchaud as Jean is equally engaging and a good match for Binoche in his carefully drawn worldly servant who is usually in charge downstairs in the kitchen where most of the action takes place, but the unexpected intrusion of Miss Julie from the upstairs world as she returns from a party (continuing in view behind the cube among the trees) causes Jean’s relationship to her through the evening and early next morning,  to hover – at first courteous and sensible, later seduced then confused and ultimately quietly manipulative.

Photo: Nicolas Bouchard and Juliette Binoche in Mademoiselle Julie © Christophe Raynaud De Lage

The human interactions of Binoche wearing an elegant shimmering gold gown (costume design by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin) and Bouchard are true, wrestling with man and woman issues as if in real time, pushing and pulling with poetic, emotional and unexpected challenges leading to the dramatic last moments of the play. Bénédicte Cerutti is wonderful as Christine, coming and going as she finishes her work at night or starts again in the morning. Cerutti’s Christine is earthy, less complex than Jean and Julie and is often the voice of reason in this psychological thriller. A chorus of about thirteen actors dances at the party in the background to pop dance music which disperses as the evening progresses.

The contrasting characters of the three main actors are not only due to the text and the actors themselves, but also due to Fisbach’s direction and attention to detail. Fisbach has very successfully guided his actors to develop different movement qualities in their characters which show the hierarchy and suggest point of view. Binoche is often symmetric and confident standing her ground firmly, while Bourchard’s Jean is often less so with nuances in his asymmetric stance and gestures, however he moves and speaks with stealth which ranges from respectful to romantic and at times chilling.

The rhythm of the play is fluid and takes its time, punctuated by volatile moments, plus two or three short, mesmerizing visceral flashes between Jean and Julie, accompanied by pulsating sounds that make them even more breathtaking. One very moving moment of the play is when the balance of their relationship is fleetingly equal and they are just a man and woman sitting on a step outside chatting during a date – she is getting cold, so he gently puts his jacket on her shoulders while they sit on the edge of the set close to the audience. The magic of simplicity!

This evocative Julie is one to be seen. It premiered at the annual Summer Avignon Theatre Festival in 2011 and continues at the Odéon Théâtre in Paris until June 24, 2012. Then it moves to the Barbican in London from September 20 to 29, 2012.

For more information:
Odéon Théâtre Website
Jo Tomalin Ph.D.
Critics World
Jul 05 2012
Love0

Paul Taylor Dance Company

By Jo Tomalin

 

Gossamer Gallants (Francisco Graciano & Michael Apuzzo) (c) Tom Carava

Paul Taylor Dance Company in Paris 

at Les Etés de la Danse Festival

The brilliant Opening Night of the Paul Taylor Dance Company on June 20th 2012 at the Théâtre National de Chaillot was also the official opening of the 8th annual international dance event in Paris of the Les Etés de la Danse festival. 

Every summer since 2005 the Les Etés de la Danse festival invites one or two of the most prestigious international dance companies to Paris. Previous companies are: San Francisco Ballet (2005), Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (2006 and 2009), Ballet National de Cuba (2007), Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal (2008), Ballet Novossibirsk (2010),  “Duet” with Ana Laguna and Mikhail Baryshnikov (2010), and “In Paris” with Mikhail Baryshnikov and the Dmitry Krymov Laboratory (2011).

Paul Taylor (c) Paul Palmaro

This summer, Les Etés de la Danse 2012 offerings are both from the USA: the Paul Taylor Dance Company, from June 19 to 28, and a return of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, from June 25 to July 21.

On Opening Night the Paul Taylor Dance Company program I saw comprised three ensemble pieces: “Gossamer Gallants”, “The Uncommitted”,  and “Syzygy”.

“Gossamer Gallants” choreographed by Paul Taylor premiered in November 2011. Presented for the first time in Paris by Les Etés de la Danse – it is playful, fresh and tells the story about fire-flies and how they pair up, the females searching for their gossamer gallant. The movement of the fire-flies was authentic with quivering arms and hands with quick changes of directions, leaps and symmetry to musical extracts by Bedrich Smetana. Humorous moments of brief acrobatic moves folded into the movement or competition as the males vied for the females were well received.

Stylish décor and Costumes designed by Santo Loquasto added to the creativity and playfulness – the men in shimmery sleek black and turquoise metallic detailed body suits, headdress caps and beautiful glistening gossamer wings –the women in shimmery leaf green metallic body suits, headdress caps and glistening white wings. Décor by Loquasto and warm dramatic lighting by Jennifer Tipton provided a wondrous atmosphere for these insects with a backdrop of a huge circular castle surrounded by the silhouettes of trees with wiry branches, evoking the dark of night when fire-flies play.

The Uncommitted (Eran Bugge, Robert Kleinendorstet Aileen Roehl)

(c) Photo : Rick McCullough

“The Uncommitted” choreographed by Paul Taylor premiered in July 2011. Presented for the first time in Paris by Les Etés de la Danse – is a lugubrious and mystical piece set to Arvo Pärt’s exquisite music: Fratres, Mozart-Adagio, Ricercar and Summa.

This dance, in four parts firstly explores the mood of the music, and secondly, the dynamics of individuals, pairs and groups coming together – and separating.

The Uncommitted (Michelle Fleet)(c) Tom Caravaglia

In the first part of “The Uncommitted” a dance phrase is repeated by nine dancers as pairs and groups form and disperse depositing a new dancer alone onstage to do their version of the phrase. Each part evolves with the next piece of music, including an outstanding solo by Michelle Fleet and different combinations of dancers. It’s a fascinating meditative piece. The dancing is often muscular with low center of gravity, and slowly sustained in the beautiful section of lifts in the adagio pairs.   

This piece transports you visually and viscerally. It’s sultry music, ever changing formations of dancers and poignant relationships, Tipton’s rich red lighting and Loquasto’s red and blue/gray shaded ancient tapestry inspired patterned costumes make this a very special piece indeed.

Syzygy (Michael Trusnovec & Robert Kleinendorst (c) Paul B. Goode)

 

 

 

“Syzygy” choreographed by Paul Taylor in 1987 to Donald York’s music is a wonderfully fun and fluid piece. According to the program, the astronomical term “Syzygy” means the configuration of “a nearly straight line of three or more celestial bodies in a gravitational system”. As if in orbit, the dancers are in continual motion around each other, changing speed – with falls, twirls, and darts. This piece is brilliantly choreographed to the music; it is a whole and a very well realized work.

Piazzolla Caldera (Annmaria Mazzini,Lisa Viola & Robert Kleinendorst (c) Paul B. Goode)

 

 

 
Brandenburgs (Robert Kleinendorst,James Samson & Lisa Viola) (c) Lois Greenfield

For modern dance fans this festival is a feast because both companies perform a varied program of several short dance pieces at each performance, so it is possible to go more than once and see the repertoire of different dances by each outstanding dance company. 

Cloven Kingdom (Jeffrey Smith,Michael Apuzzo, Michael Novak & Francisco Graciano)(c) Tom Caravaglia

 

A wonderful feature of the Les Etés de la Danse festival is the “Rencontres-Spectacles” on Wednesday afternoons during the festival.

 

 

 

These events are for the public and especially young people to learn about dance at these specially selected Alvin Ailey Dance Theater performances, followed by a Q&A with the dancers.

Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theater
Kirven J. Boyd dans Takademe
(Robert Battle)
Photo : Andrew Eccles

 Alvin Ailey American Dance TheaterRevelations (c) Eduardo Patino

 

 

 

Les Etés de la Danse Festival Dates 2012:

Paul Taylor Dance Company – June 19 to 28, 2012 at the Théâtre National de Chaillot.Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – June 25 to July 28, 2012 at the Théâtre du Châtelet.

Websites – tickets & more information:

Les Etés de la Danse:  http://www.lesetesdeladanse.com

Paul Taylor Dance Company: http://www.ptdc.org

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: http://www.alvinailey.org

Jo Tomalin Ph.D. 

www.forallevents.com