Sadler’s Wells, London
March 23, 2018
Maggie Foyer
Richard Alston is a class act. He has been honing his choreographic skills for a half century, developing a distinctive style that has played its part in defining British contemporary dance. His work bristles with integrity: the steps are clearly articulated, the phrases deftly structured and each work has an overarching unity of purpose. No small part of the pleasure is his choice of music, carefully considered and fully integrated. In Mid-Century Modern, together with two new company works, we were treated to a précis of seven works spanning the decades.
Dutiful Ducks, a true modern classic was danced by Liam Riddick whose agility, ease and phrasing make this complex number seem like a walk in the park. Syrinx written for Vidya Patel melds Indian and contemporary classicism to Debussy’s haunting flute music to create another gem for a compelling young dancer. Brief teasers of Rainbow Bandit and Proverb made you long for the full showing and The Signal of Shake to Handel’s exuberant music hit the right note to close this special evening.
Photo Chris Nash
Alston’s new Carnaval was, as he admits, choreographed with Frederick Ashton in mind. Set to Robert Schumann’s eponymous music, played live by Jason Ridgway, it enacts the inner turmoil of the composer’s dual personality and their relationship to the central figure of Clara, a strong interpretation from Elly Braund. The work is structured with period formality and, like a less used language that does not trip so lightly off the tongue, the delivery at times seemed stilted. However, this was not the case in the powerful duet between Liam Riddick and Nicholas Bodych as the two facets of Schumann struggled for dominance.
The other new work, Cut and Run, by associate choreographer, Martin Lawrence, set the stage alight in a thrilling display of movement and design and showed a company embedded in the 21st-century. The juxtaposition of contrasting music, Yo Shakespeare by Michael Gordon and Evol by Damian LeGassick defines the action. In the fast-paced moments, the clarity and sharpness of the movements is eye-watering but as the mood changes and the pace slows there is no release in the intensity. Again, it was the male duet, this time Riddick teamed with the power of Ihsaan de Banya, that drew attention.
As Alston said, this was no nostalgia trip and in the hands of a brilliant team of dancers augmented by two guest dancers from London Contemporary Dance School, the company is ready to take the Alston tradition forward.