Dance: Demanding and dazzling

Acosta Danza
Cuban Baroque
artistic director Carlos Acosta
performers Frank Isaac, Paul Brando, Thalía Cardín, Melisa Moreda, Alexander Arias, Daniella Urgelles, Aniel Pazos, Cynthia Laffertte, Ernesto Muñoz, Ofelia Rodríguez, Rolando Dieguez, Wendy Elizabeth, Miguel Gomez, Carolina Monteagudo, Amado Mancebo, María Del Carmen Pantoja
musicians Pepe Gavilondo, Ezo Sarici, Adrian Aguiar
costumes Anastasios Sofroniou, Verena Hemmerlein, Goyo Montero
lighting Nicolas Fischtel, Goyo Montero
Sadler's Wells, London • 7-10.Oct.26 ★★★★★

Carlos Acosta's dance company goes from strength to strength, producing thrilling shows that leave the audience as out of breath as the performers themselves. This double bill is seriously demanding of the dancers, and it keeps the viewer in a state of wonder. Even without a narrative structure, the show carries us along on waves of emotion that surge across the stage. It's purely and simply jaw-dropping.

First up is Pearls, a new work choreographed by Andonis Foniadakis to a musical score by Julien Tarride that creates a sense of baroque elegance (using the 18th century chaconne Salve Regina by Esteban Sallas) as the dancers perform sweeping choreography that locks into the quick rhythms. Movement is both strong and loose, performed as solos, duets and in a large group with a strong sense of abandon. Flourishes are simply stunning, fluid and connected, spinning and swirling across a stage that is marked by projected lines that move to create new spaces. 

The costumes feel both futuristic and in a period style, aubergine bodysuits accompanied by chaps, skirts or trousers, and the men lose their shirts along the way, all of which augments the physicality in rippling waves of motion. There's a push and pull as couples form and swap, then the lighting shifts and the music swells into a pounding Cuban beat that sparks a full-on rave, revealing sharper moves that include jumping and bouncing in insistent unison. In the end, the dancers collapse onto the stage, then impressively rebound into a soulful, beautiful finale.

After the interval, the performers are somehow immediately back on top form as they tackle Goyo Montero's Chacona, accompanied by Bach's Partita No 2 in D Minor, gorgeously played live on the stage on piano, violin and guitar. Created in 2011, this piece is equally demanding, and it requires even more unity for a larger group of 16 dancers as they all remain on-stage throughout, navigating spotlit areas to perform a mix of classical and modern choreography.

Some segments involve them standing along the edges while solos and duets fill the illuminated spaces, so there are echoes of dance studio settings and fashion catwalks as dancers break out to perform. Echoing movement continually catches the eye, as we begin to sense a yearning sense of purpose, the need to move. This is utterly mesmerising, hugely expressive as performers play with light and shapes as they spin, lift, slide and float with startling precision. These dancers are astonishingly fit and absurdly talented, maintaining elegance and artistry during what is clearly a strenuous physical workout. It's emotive, intricate and utterly magical.

For details, SADLER'S WELLS >

photos by Charlie Kirkpatrick & Johan Persson • 7.Oct.26

Critical Week: Take to the streets

The 70th London Film Festival kicked off last night with the European premiere of Elsinore, starring Andrew Scott. I attended a talk with him today, which was as engaging as you can imagine! But I still haven't seen the film, so I'll be hunting for a screening. I've already caught 20 LFF films (reviews are linked HERE), and I saw three more this week: Ruth Madeley (above) is terrific in Being Heumann, a ripping, essential account of Judy Heumann's 1977 standoff about accessibility. Mahershala Ali brings his powerful presence to the dramatic thriller Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, a slightly messy film packed with provocative ideas. And Ryusuke Hamaguchi's extraordinary drama All of a Sudden effortlessly carries us through three hours of a fascinating new friendship.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Fjord • Naza • Tenzing
The Social Reckoning
California Schemin'
ALL REVIEWS >

Outside the festival, Mikey Madison leads Aaron Sorkin's sequel The Social Reckoning, as the whistleblower who exposed Facebook's extremely dodgy algorithm. She ably supported by Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong (as Mark Zuckerberg) and others. John Cena leads the charge in the action comedy Matchbox, as a spy who takes his childhood pals on a globe hopping adventure. It's ridiculous, but the stunts are jaw-dropping. Lesley Manville is of course excellent in the gritty thriller Winter of the Crow, as a British professor stranded in locked-down Soviet-era Warsaw. An ensemble of top French actors leads the charge in the theatre-based comedy Comédie Française, mixing smart humour and hilarious slapstick. And I also attended a live performance of Acosta Danza's dazzling Cuban Baroque.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching two highly anticipated animated films: Laika's Wildwood and Pixar's Ray Gunn, plus Pedro Pascal in Behemoth, Andrew Garfield in The Uprising, Jason Momoa in Street Fighter, the comedy Ghosts: The Possession of Button House and live performances of Heated Rivalry and Ballet Black at 25.

Dance: Recollections may vary

Jess & Morgs
Deepfake
director-choreographers Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple
performers Kennedy Muntanga, Rebecca Bassett-Graham, Cathy Grealish, Dylan Springer, Tommi Sutton, Marshall Stay, Grace Broodie, Freya Burdon-Watson, Eva Rose Fellows, Evelien Van Den Hondel, Claire Goose, Habib Nasib Nader
writer Jeff James • video design Dan Light
set/costumes Milla Clarke • lighting Simon Bennison
Sadler’s Wells East, Stratford • 1-3.Oct.26 ★★★★

Dazzling on multiple fronts, this fast-paced hour-long show unfolds its politically charged narrative using a mesmerising combination of dance, sound and technology. As the title suggests, the story involves manipulated video, and it plays out with strikingly visual trickery that includes green screens, camerawork, projections and inventive lighting. Meanwhile, the show makes important points relating to political subterfuge, asking salient questions about why the media feels increasingly untrustworthy.

Creators Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple, aka Jess & Morgs, keep the tension high from the start, as we watch the Prime Minister (Kennedy Muntanga) preparing to be interviewed by TV journalist Katie (Rebecca Bassett-Graham) about a disastrous series of events the night before. Not only is there a videotape showing him in a state of undress, but he arrived suspiciously late to a state dinner, where he was disheveled and erratic. "Witnesses say you were drunk," Katie says. "No, the video is a fake," he replies.

Dialog (voiced by Habib Nasib Nader and Claire Goose) is mixed into the textured audio track, while the performers lipsync it with broad physical movements that often break out into full-on dance pieces. These include solos and duets, plus a range of elaborate group numbers accompanied by eight performers wearing green-screen bodysuits. One of these carries a handheld camera to capture striking angles on the action, often following performers backstage.

We watch all of this on a splintering array of screens. There's the live action on-stage, surrounded by bright green. And on a giant screen above, we can see the combined images, with backgrounds and even second or third versions of the PM as he puts another spin on his account ("I can't be in two places at once!"). The way these interact is mind-bogglingly complicated. And there are also jaw-dropping sections in which the performers interact with projections of themselves that are being shot live from other angles.

Intriguingly, the choreography is pointed and rather academic, never emotionally engaging. Instead, it reflects the push and pull between a politician and a journalist who have grown accustomed to doing this dance. The mix of modern choreo with ballet is playful, as one of the PM's excuses involves attending his daughter's dance recital. Re-enactments of various situations are riotously amusing, leading to a huge disco break in the final act. And through all of this, there's a driving search for the truth beneath the sound bites. 

For details, JESS & MORGS >

photos by Foteini Christofilopoulou • 1.Oct.26

Dance: Everybody shout ¡Olé!

Yllana
Flamenc Oh!!
direction David Ottone and Juan Ramos
artists David Bastidas, Raquel Ortega, Raúl Ortega, Anabel Moreno, Luis Gallo
choreography Carlos Chamorro • costumes Tatiana de Sarabia
set Carlos Brayda • lighting Juani González Vega
Peacock Theatre, London • 30.Sep-10.Oct.26 ★★★★

Those gifted, cheeky artists at Yllana (see also The Opera Locos) bring their lively and hugely entertaining homage to flamenco to London, fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe. Of course, these performers are experts at the craft, dazzling the audience with their wonderful sense of rhythm and movement. But they are also having a lot of fun telling a silly story that has some serious kicks as it explores personal identity, family connections and legacy.

A voiceover paints a portrait of a flamenco family, with the imperious patriarch (David Bastidas) deploying his soaring voice while tapping the cane that symbolises his authority. His wife (Raquel Ortega) is a feisty dancer who rules the roost, while their son (Raúl Ortega) and daughter (Anabel Moreno) demonstrate seriously fancy footwork and armography. Both siblings hope to inherit the cane, and Dad needs to make a decision. He is clearly disappointed with his son, but his daughter is throwing herself at the steaming hot guitarist (Luis Gallo) who just strutted into their lives with his luscious locks of hair and shockingly modern musical sensibilities.

Within this soap opera, each character is a hilarious bundle of attitudes and personality quirks, adding amusing touches to even their most impressive displays of flamenco prowess. These are top-notch performers who continually wow us with their talents, even if the show is designed for entertainment rather than audacity. Ortega and Moreno get a chance to deliver stunning riffs of taconeo as the brother and sister battle for their parents' approval. And Gallo's astonishing guitar work is augmented by his character's riotously preening physicality.

There are also deeper themes that have something more profound to say about Spanish culture, such as how the father longs to explore his feminine side, but feels trapped in his machismo. Finally he takes the plunge and tries on a ruffly red gown, surprised that his wife embraces this. Watching them throw their trains around is thrilling, leaving us wanting much more of this. There's also a nice edge to the way the son seeks approval from his father, while the daughter refuses to settle for anything but the top spot.

Through all of this, modern music continually creeps in, with lovely riffs from standards like Summertime, Moon River and Beautiful, plus exhilarating renditions of Maniac and Purple Rain. Cultural touches include some romance, mysticism and even a bit of magical realism. There are also of course snapping castanets, swirling capes and a full-on boxing ring dance off for the cane. Characters continually flirt with the audience, which is frequently coaxed into clapping to the beat or shouting ¡Olé! And even if it's perhaps a little too crowd-pleasing, the barnstorming curtain call sends us out with a smile.

For details, SADLER'S WELLS >

photos by Pablo Lorente • 30.Sep.26

Critical Week: Winter's coming

Things are cranking up as the festival season begins to segue into awards season, so there are a lot of screenings in the diary these days for films that have made a mark somewhere but are yet to be released to general audiences. I caught up with one of the biggies this week, Cristian Mungiu's Palme d'Or winner Fjord, starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. It's a stunner - provocative and thoughtful as it explores religion and culture. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Naza • Digger • Knife
Child • Kikuyu Land
The Last First: Winter K2
ALL REVIEWS >

There was also the biopic Tenzing, tracing the life of the Sherpa who with Edmund Hillary achieved the first summit of Mt Everest. It's a beautifully made film, with terrific performances by Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe. It was also nice to attend a reception with the cast and crew. Other films this week included the haunting thriller Child, a strikingly well-made film from Luxembourg, and the gently observant Spanish drama The Portuguese House. There were also a couple of docs: more mountaineering in the hugely involving The Last First: Winter K2 and the fascinating, important Kikuyu Land, exploring the legacy of colonialism in Kenya. I also saw live performances of Deepfake at Sadler's Wells East and Flamenc Oh!! at the Peacock theatre.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching Mikey Madison in the sequel The Social Reckoning, Mahershala Ali in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Mark Ruffalo in Being Heumann, Lesley Manville in Winter of the Crow, Ryusuke Hamaguchi's award-winning All of a Sudden, a French comedy titled Comédie Française and a live performance of Acosta Danza's Cuban Baroque.

Dance: A loose-limbed connection

National Dance Company Wales
Blue | Glas
choreographers Theo Clinkard, Alesandra Seutin
dancers Alys Davies, Andrew Lennox Scott, Ed Myhill, Jill Goh, Isabel Farrelly, Niamh Keeling, Riz Golden, Sonny Connor-Bell
music Alan Stones, Randolph Matthews
lighting Zerlina Hughes, Elanor Higgins
Sadler's Wells East, Stratford • 24-26.Sep.26 ★★★

Using the colour blue as an expression of "sky, water, freedom and depths", NDC Wales brings two pieces to Sadler's Wells East. The first is a revival from 2012 and the second is all-new. Both have an open-handed emotionality, with loose choreography that seems somewhat undisciplined but still highlights the serious physical skills of the dancers. So while they are demanding to perform, with several impressive sections, they are also far too free-flowing to have a proper impact.

Using the colour blue as an expression of "sky, water, freedom and depths", NDC Wales brings two pieces to Sadler's Wells East: the first is a revival from 2012 and the second is all-new. Both have an open-handed emotionality, with relaxed choreography that may appear somewhat undisciplined but still highlights the serious physical skills of the dancers. So while they are demanding to perform, with several impressive sections, they are also far too free-flowing to have a proper impact.

Theo Clinkard's Ordinary Courage opens with six dancers, barefoot in multicoloured streetwear, engaging in group choreo on a white stage in complete silence. Eye-catching and intriguing, there's a loose-limbed ease to their movement, and a nice sense of connection between them. Then as a piano score comes in, they remove their jackets and stare at the audience before shifting into manoeuvres that echo shifting ground or blasting wind.

All of this is expressive and very acrobatic, with powerful leaps and lifts (especially in duets with two men) but no real sense of focus. The interaction suggests a dramatic story that remains just out of reach, depicting flailing loneliness, grief, support and affection. It's complex and intricate, and performed expertly by these likeable dancers, but everything seems a bit random, punctuated by frequent blackouts. And the appearance of a large bear is both visually stunning and rather perplexing.

The second piece, Untamed by Alesandra Seutin, is shorter and rather more offbeat. The stage is black now, and the dancers are wearing off-white athletic outfits, sometimes accessorised with stringy lifevest-style tops. The dancers jump and run, often in achingly slow motion that looks rather awkwardly sinister. The lighting is deeper and darker now, as the performers writhe and crouch, then burst into action. This kind of choreography requires a lot of strength and balance, and the dancers are well up to the challenge. But the overall effect is oddly harsh and elusive.

With their notable physical control and fearless approach, these gifted dancers dive fully into both of these pieces, bringing out ideas and emotions. So there are dazzling moments along the way, combining masterful dance moves with a full commitment to the work. But the oddly unstructured choreography leaves the bigger picture blurred in the background, never quite arriving at a meaningful point. So in the end we feel like we've only seen the potential, rather than a fully formed show.

For information, SADLER'S WELLS >

photos by Jorge Lizalde, Mark Douet  • 24.Sep.26

Critical Week: The world in his hands

Awards season is cranking up earlier than usual this year, kicking off even before the Toronto International Film Festival finished. So screenings have kept me on the run this week. The biggest was the world premiere royal performance of Digger, with Tom Cruise, Alejandro G Iñárritu and the cast on hand to watch this astonishingly enormous movie. People will love or hate it, but it's undeniably full-on. I also had screenings of two Toronto titles: the hugely crowd-pleasing biopic I Play Rocky features an amazing performance by Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone makes of his classic underdog movie. And Rhys Ifans and Laura Linney star in Onwards and Sideways, an involving romance that knowingly takes on Parkinson's.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Forgotten Island
Boorman and the Devil
ALL REVIEWS >

Elsewhere, Emilia Jones and Nick Robinson star in Charlie Harper, which gets a little over-emotive as it spirals around a love story. Sophie Thatcher and Charles Melton lead Nicolas Winding Refn's fantastical futuristic thriller Her Private Hell, which looks amazing but doesn't hold together. From Belgium, the gorgeously animated drama In Waves is a superbly moving true story about surfers. I also enjoyed De Gaulle: Liberté, the expertly made conclusion of the two-part biopic starring Simon Abkarian as the French general, this time covering the final years of WWII. The German satire Babystar is witty and very pointed as it sharply lampoons social media culture. The Filipino black comedy Filipiñana is simply stunning: funny, skilfully shot and darkly powerful. And Juliette Binoche directed In-I in Motion, tracing her collaboration with choreographer Akram Khan on a stage show. She presented the screening herself, and held a terrific Q&A at the end. I also had a live performance of the National Dance Company Wales' show Blue | Glas.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching Sebastian Stan in the Cannes winner Fjord, the dramatic thriller Child, the Spanish drama The Portuguese House and three documentaries: The Last First: Winter K2, How Deep Is Your Love and Kikuyu Land, plus live performances of Deepfake and Flamenc Oh!