Last year I was introduced to the BalletBoyz and their show Them/Us moved me to tears. I was looking forward to their new show Deluxe which, fortunately, was filmed before theatres closed and is available to watch online.
NEWS: Drew McOnie & the McOnie Company launch a Digital Dance Season
The McOnie Company has launched the first offerings as part of its Digital Dance Season. Hosted on the company’s social media channels, the season aims to connect the dance community and encourage collaboration during this period of social distancing and self isolation.
NEWS: Artists come together for new collective All the Web’s a Stage
Theatre Together, a new collective of over 50 artists and professionals, have announced All the Web’s a Stage, an online event featuring a variety of live performances to raise money for those in the arts facing hardship as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Message in a Bottle at the Peacock Theatre
Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews for the new dance production Message in a Bottle featuring the music of Sting and choreography by Kate Prince.
‘Compelling & moving from start to finish’: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE – Peacock Theatre ★★★★
A compelling & human story brought vividly to life by a company that pulses with energy – Sting’s music and Kate Prince’s choreography are a marriage made in dance heaven in Message in a Bottle.
FIRST LOOK: Discover Ayenai’s VAULT Festival dance show Living Here? with production images
Giving a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘sofa surfing’, check out these production images of Ayenai’s dance piece Living Here? which runs at the VAULT Festival next month. Book your tickets now!
‘Beautifully enchanting’: Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes – Touring ★★★★
The entire New Adventures company prove once again in The Red Shoes why they’re so revered in this glorious looking and exceptionally assured production.
Love London Love Culture’s Theatre Picks for February
Here’s Love London Love Culture’s monthly guide to some of the best shows opening in February 2020.
NEWS: Ayenai explore inhabiting a foreign country in Living Here? at VAULT Festival
Where is our place? What happens when we have nothing left to hold on to? Do we remain? These are the questions asked by new dance work Living Here? which runs as part of the VAULT Festival later this spring. Book your tickets now!
‘Pure entertainment’: THE NUTCRACKER – Sheffield ★★★★
Saint Petersburg Ballet delivers exactly what you’re wanting from this production. A seasonal treat, a well formed and rehearsed ballet, and two hours of pure entertainment.
‘An absolute treat’: THE RED SHOES – Sadler’s Wells ★★★★★
The Red Shoes is an absolute tour-de-force, and the perfect example of how to make dance (and ballet, in particular) accessible and engaging to a wider audience. It’s an absolute treat.
‘Impressive, moving & poignant’: THE LOST THING – Royal Opera House ★★★★
The Lost Thing is a great example of how to bring young people into the world of live theatre and continue to nurture their minds with acceptance and collaboration.
‘An evening of world class entertainment & dance’: THE RED SHOES – Sadler’s Wells & Touring ★★★★★
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes returns to Sadler’s Wells three years after it first premiered – and while the score and dance remain exquisite, there is a depth to this ballet that has only matured over time.
‘Everything about this production is absolutely sumptuous’: THE RED SHOES – Sadler’s Wells
This new revival of Matthew Bourne’s romantic and dramatic take on the 1948 film The Red Shows is beautiful to watch unfold.
‘A tuneful & comic delight’: COPPÉLIA – Royal Opera House ★★★★
Coppélia may be the nearest classical ballet comes to pantomime and as a choice alternative to the usual slew of Nutcrackers and Sleeping Beauties, this one is a tuneful and comic delight.
‘Excellent sweet ballet for children & families alike’: LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD – Touring ★★★★
The dancers of Northern Ballet interpret the adventure of Little Red Riding Hood simply and dramatically with excellent portrayals of the characters.
NEWS: Four wins for Sheffield Theatres’ Life Of Pi at the UK Theatre Awards
There were wins for Sheffield Theatres’ Life Of Pi at the 2019 UK Theatre Awards, revealed at London’s Guildhall.
The Show People Podcast: Stephen Mear uses a harness and a swing
The Show People Podcast is back and in this episode host Andrew Keates is joined by world renowned and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Stephen Mear.
‘If you’re not dancing to the music that’s playing, then why is it on?’: Eloise Jones on her choreography for new mental health musical Dissociated
A new musical exploring mental health issues and recovery following child sexual abuse will receive its London premiere this autumn. Dissociated, written by psychotherapist Dave Bain and produced by Skitzoid Productions, runs at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden for two weeks only from 15 to 26 October 2019. Time to get booking!
‘Brilliantly melding differing styles’: OUTWITTING THE DEVIL – Amsterdam / HEARTBEAT OF HOME – Piccadilly Theatre
A rare foray into the world of dance saw me catch the highly atmospheric Outwitting the Devil from the Akram Khan Company and Heartbeat of Home at the Piccadilly Theatre.