Tag Archives: Peacock Theatre

Hotel

Hotel
★★★★

Peacock Theatre

Reviews, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hotel

Hotel

Peacock Theatre

Reviewed – 23rd February 2019

★★★★

 

“not revolutionary, but it is accomplished, sophisticated, and very fun”

 

Montreal-based Cirque Éloize celebrates 25 years of performing contemporary circus worldwide with their latest production, Hotel. Set in an Art Deco hotel, the cast of twelve play a variety of staff, guests, and musical instruments. Hotel is everything you’d hope to see in a circus-theatre hybrid, and at a lean one hour and thirty minutes, it’s smart about avoiding the excesses that often bog shows down. This one’s a whirlwind that sweeps you up and leaves you reeling.

Hotel boasts all the circus staples: César Mispelon and Julius Bitterling open the show with a highly enjoyable hand-to-hand routine. Jérémy Vitter is impressive on the slackline, and Cory Marsh’s Cyr wheel will have you gaping. Antonin Wicky pulls laughs from the audience easily with his clever, charming clown act involving suitcases (and eventually getting his head stuck in one). Philippe Dupuis nails a wow-worthy juggling routine. The Chinese Pole finale is stunning. There are no weak acts in the show, but Tuedon Ariri and Una Bennett shine in particular with standout aerial performances: Ariri on straps and Bennett on rope. The soundtrack is part EDM and part sung live by Sabrina Halde, whose powerful vocals add a wonderfully rich layer to this vibrant and dynamic show.

A very loose storyline about a flustered hotel manager (Wicky) and a celebrity who comes to stay (Ariri) provide brief transitions between the acts. Narratives for the rest of the characters are even looser and can be difficult to discern. Plot is clearly not a priority – Hotel is more of a setting with characters than it is a story. But actually it doesn’t matter all that much. There are plenty of other options in London for theatre with traditional narratives. The performers of Hotel are powerfully talented, and in the end it is them we are there to see.

The visionary design makes the show. The early 20th century aesthetic with modern streaks is captivatingly surreal. The performers exploit every aspect of the set: from the decor to the door, they crawl, leap, and tumble over everything. It all comes together to create a cohesive and unique world. As a whole, the show is an inspired work of art.

Seasoned circus-goers may not find a lot that’s particularly progressive or thrilling. There are bigger companies pushing the boundaries of ‘death-defying’ acts, and edgier companies challenging the artform. Hotel, however, covers all the basics of contemporary circus, which makes it perfect for people not overly familiar with the genre. The audience last night was undeniably wowed – gasping and laughing, barely restrained by etiquette from clapping constantly. The show is not specifically geared toward children, but there’s plenty for them to enjoy.

Cirque Éloize’s Hotel is not revolutionary, but it is accomplished, sophisticated, and very fun. It’s entertaining start to finish – a great option for something different to see on an evening out.

 

Reviewed by Addison Waite

Photography courtesy Cirque Éloize

 


Hotel

Peacock Theatre until 9th March

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
Cirque Berserk! | ★★★★ | February 2018
The Snowman | ★★★★★ | November 2018
Tango Fire | ★★★★ | January 2019

 

Click here to see more of our latest reviews on thespyinthestalls.com

 

Tango Fire
★★★★

Peacock Theatre

Reviews, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tango Fire

Tango Fire

Peacock Theatre

Reviewed – 29th January 2019

★★★★

 

“The music is more than a backdrop here; it is the living sensual pulse which beats in the dancers’ blood”

 

Tango originated in the impoverished port areas of the Argentina/Uruguay border in the 1880s; a unique and fiery blend of European ballroom traditions and dances from Africa, Cuba and Argentina itself, it is now danced throughout the world, with its performance epicentre being the great tango houses of Buenos Aires. German Cornejo – creator of the company and choreographer of the show – is native to Buenos Aires, and has been steeped in tango tradition since he began his dance studies at the age of 10. Tango Fire aims to showcase the different styles of tango, and also gives the six couples the opportunity to perform their own individual routines created for the show.

The dancers perform in front of a live tango quartet of piano, bandoneon, violin and contrabass, and there is no doubt that these four terrific young musicians are absolutely essential to this spectacle. The music is more than a backdrop here; it is the living sensual pulse which beats in the dancers’ blood, and in the audience’s too. And no recorded backing track could ever replicate the staccato of Clemente Carrascal’s fingers on the bandoneon’s buttons, or Facundo Benavidez’s rhythmic slapping of the sides of the contrabass. Although the stage does seem empty in the interludes in which the musicians play without the dancers, their moments in the sun are richly deserved.

The dancing itself is extraordinary; skilful, precise and gymnastic, and often performed at breathtaking speed. The second half, in which the couples present their own routines, sees almost unbelievable feats of technical mastery, bringing roars from the crowd and a partial standing ovation for German Cornejo himself and his long-term dance partner Gisela Galeassi. The atmosphere is akin to being rink-side at an ice-skating championships – the competition between the couples is palpable – and the show suffers from a lack of warmth as a result. Moments of emotional connection and passion between the couples are few, lost as they are in technical display, and the pure joy of dancing this extraordinary form only rarely flows out from the stage. These moments, when they do come, are pure gold. Camila Alegre seems in a higher realm of emotional being in Watashi, her duet with Ezequiel Lopez, and it feels a privilege to witness it. Similarly, the fun of the men dancing together, and the women playfully passing the fan between themselves, towards the beginning of the show, is infectious. Marcos Esteban Roberts and Louise Junqueira Malucelli also shine, oozing class and tradition, in the tango clasico Gallo Ciego.

Taken as a whole however, Tango Fire remains a whisker away from raising the roof, for whilst the costumes sparkle and the dancers impress, no souls are stirred.

 

Reviewed by Rebecca Crankshaw

Photography by Oliver Neubert

 


Tango Fire

Peacock Theatre until 16th February

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:
Cirque Berserk! | ★★★★ | February 2018
The Snowman | ★★★★★ | November 2018

 

Click here to see more of our latest reviews on thespyinthestalls.com