★★★★

“It’s a privilege to be this up close and personal to such exceptional dance talent”

In London’s docklands, nestled between high rise blocks of flats, is a rather unremarkable building, only conspicuous for its brick exterior next to the glass and chrome of its neighbours. But for six nights this autumn, the Lanterns Theatre plays host to the ‘world premiere’ season of Ballet Nights, promising to be quite a spectacular string of classic and contemporary dance performance from established names and new voices.

Jamiel Devernay-Laurence’s ambitious variety show concept isn’t quite intuitive to grasp. Is it a way to continue working for some of ballet’s recent retirees? Is it a showcase of new work from up and coming choreographers? Devernay-Laurence’s slightly jumbled delivery as compère for the evening doesn’t clear things up much. Star names like Steven McRae might be the draw for many, but the new works are just as exciting and all the more intriguing.

The seating in the studio theatre means no member of the audience can be more than 20 metres away from the performers. It’s a privilege to be this up close and personal to such exceptional dance talent – seeing the sweat forming on backs and brows, hearing sharp intakes of breath and deep, lengthy exhales. But it’s the facial expressions that are most arresting.

Performers from the Royal Ballet prove why they command the awe and praise of the dance world. Melissa Hamilton, first soloist with the Royal Ballet, is a revelation opening and closing the programme. The expressiveness of her interpretation of Mikhail Fokine’s Dying Swan moved me to tears – her darting eyes full of fear and incomprehension at the death that’s to befall her. Performing Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto with Reece Clarke, their lithe limbs find infinite extension. Steven McRae oozes cool with Czárdás, a tap number performed in concert with guest violinist Vasko Vassilev and house pianist Viktor Erik Emanuel. McRae owns the stage and he knows it – with just a ripple of his fingers you read his machismo, strength and daring.

“a uniquely intimate experience with truly extraordinary dancers”

This first programme from Ballet Nights has a lot to offer and there are new works from choreographers Gavin McCaig, Jordan James Bridge, and Peter Leung of New English Ballet Theatre. These all bring excitement in their originality and performers expertise. Taylor and Nunes dart across the stage together, with Nunes linking an impressive number of chaîné turns to set the starting gun in McCaig’s You Will Get Your Wants. Jordan James Bridge’s musicality is spellbinding, seamlessly blending classical traditions with hip hop and club dance movements in a way that was truly bewitching.

There are some clunkier moments. Isadora, presented by Yorke Dance Project, is a strange piece to showcase with the lack of narrative in such a short extract making its distractingly sexual choreography feel gratuitous – the dancers themselves looked a bit sheepish when time came for their bow. House pianist Viktor Erik Emanuel, performing on what the audience is told is Elton John’s grand piano, gets two solo moments; and whilst the first Chopin piece was excellent, Ballade No.2, in B Minor by Liszt felt slightly over indulgent, reinforced by a preemptive applause from one audience member.

Ballet Nights offers a uniquely intimate experience with truly extraordinary dancers. The whole evening, from the thick, matte programmes to the dramatic lighting, layered and textured costumes to even the decor in the backstage bar has been carefully considered and finished to a high production standard. It’s a commendable effort.

THE BRIEF LIFE & MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF BORIS III, KING OF BULGARIA at the Arcola Theatre

★★★★★

“The small but mighty cast of this show present impassioned performances leaving nothing more to be desired”

The Brief Life and Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria doesn’t just pack a lot into its title. In just under an hour and half, Joseph Cullen and Sasha Wilson’s narrative questions the stories we tell ourselves about allied heroism during World War II, introduces other non-allied, versions of events and argues that some of the axis powers may not have been purely evil but nuanced and messy and maybe even trying to do their best in a bad situation. That may seem like heavy content for a musical comedy but it’s tactfully done, sending up the Third Reich whilst being sensitive to the horrors of the holocaust.

Boris III, deals with the reign of the eponymous monarch of Bulgaria during World War II, where 50,000 jews were saved from being sent to concentration camps outside the country. As the tale is told, the King didn’t have many options and was backed into a corner to ally with the Germans under pressure to regain lands his father had lost in the previous war. Whilst Boris wants what’s best for all his people, his Cabinet work in collaboration with Hitler to arrange the deportation of jews from Bulgaria and these newly acquired lands to camps elsewhere in the Reich. Cullen, who also plays Boris, portrays the King as a slightly pathetic character, albeit with a dutiful initiative to serve, trying his best to stop the murder of his people with the help of a few ordinary citizens and the church.

The small but mighty cast of this show present impassioned performances leaving nothing more to be desired. The most interesting portrayals are not evil without nuance, and director and dramaturg Hannah Hauer-King’s choices in switching each performer from one character to another adds comedy to what is already a razor-sharp script. Take David Leopold’s portrayal of Belev, the ruthless commissar of Jewish Affairs responsible for the rounding up and deportation of Jewish people. He is accused of being Jewish himself, a rumour he furiously denies, and you can see in just a brief exchange what might motivate his actions. And then, like the spin of dime, Leopold is the head of the Bulgarian church singing a country-inspired, Jesus-loving tune as jewish people flock to be christened in a plot to avoid deportation. Lawrence Boothman’s high-camp Prime Minister Filov is spine-tingling sinister and brings to mind Hannah Arendt’s banality of evil as he gets excited about the pen he will buy as a reward for skilfully manipulating Boris to implement the Fuhrer’s wishes.

“this show has all the makings of a sell-out with transfers to come”

An unashamedly revisionist or modern take on events, the female characters are forthright and pivotal in the plot. The King’s wife, played by co-writer Sasha Wilson amongst other more chilling roles, lends a consoling ear and is deft at providing a supportive proverb or three. The co-conspirators who infiltrate the government bureaucracy and uncover the plans to deport the jews are also women. It’s clearly intended that Clare Fraenkel as a Jewish musician represents the role ordinary people played in creating a popular uprising that influenced the government and king to stop the deportations.

Set and lighting (Sorcha Corcoran and Will Alder respectively) are simple and modern. Filament bulbs hang over the stage and King Boris’ throne remains on stage throughout leaving us in doubt who this show is about. The costumes by Helen Stewart in contrast are typical 1940s garb – pinstripe suits, heavy wool coats and military medals galore.

Music is used throughout to enhance the drama and create atmosphere, rather than drive the plot. Above all it’s unbelievable how talented each of the performers is. Not only playing multiple roles, but singing and playing flutes, guitars and fiddles too.

Despite a rather abrupt ending that doesn’t really explain what led to 50,000 Bulgarian Jews being saved, this show has all the makings of a sell-out with transfers to come – don’t hesitate and get over to the Arcola to be tickled silly and enlightened on alternative histories before it’s too late!

BALLET NIGHTS at the Lanterns Studio Theatre

★★★★

“It’s a privilege to be this up close and personal to such exceptional dance talent”

“a uniquely intimate experience with truly extraordinary dancers”

BALLET NIGHTS at the Lanterns Studio Theatre

Reviewed on 30th September 2023

by Amber Woodward

Photography by Deborah Jaffe

This review is for Ballet Nights 001. There are several performances of different programmes between September and November at Lanterns Studio Theatre. Click on logo below to visit website

Top rated shows in September

Ballet Nights

Ballet Nights

THE BRIEF LIFE & MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF BORIS III, KING OF BULGARIA at the Arcola Theatre

★★★★★

“The small but mighty cast of this show present impassioned performances leaving nothing more to be desired”

“this show has all the makings of a sell-out with transfers to come”

THE BRIEF LIFE & MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF BORIS III, KING OF BULGARIA at the Arcola Theatre

Reviewed on 27th September 2023

by Amber Woodward

Photography by Will Alder

Previously reviewed at this venue:

The Brief Life

The Brief Life