Belgian choreographer Wim Vandekeybus’ 1987 dance piece What The Body Does Not Remember, at Sadler’s Wells, London today and tomorrow, is a work credited with radically transforming the arena of contemporary dance. But what does this mean to us now? 28 years on, its once highly-innovative association of physicality and high emotion, (untrained dancers stomping, running… Read more »
Author: Alx Phillips
What’s on? Environmental drama in Pulmons (Lungs)
All credit to this valiant Catalan-language production that brings freshness, focus and depth of character to Duncan Macmillan’s uncompromising play Pulmons (original title Lungs), a contemporary drama about a couple’s decision to have a baby, despite, or perhaps because of, impending environmental disaster. Macmillan demands that no props, sound or lighting effects, no ‘mime’, scene changes or intervals be… Read more »
Interview: Shantala Shivalingappa on the Freedom of Discipline
As the world economic balance shifts ‘eastward’ our Western-centric presumptions of the way things work is sinking into the sand. Contemporary dance is perhaps the most accessible art form able to embody and communicate these changes. Born in India and brought up in France, Shantala Shivalingappa (pictured above) trained in the strict discipline of classical kuchipudi… Read more »
What’s On? El Misàntropo directed by Miguel del Arco
El Misàntropo is a contemporary Spanish version of the classic play Le Misanthrope by 17th century French playwright Molière. A social satire with political implications, it deals with issues such as hypocrisy and love, sycophancy and plain speaking, and how far one should go to defend the truth. As Spanish theatre director Miguel del Arco has recognised, this… Read more »
Interview: Petherbridge & Hunter on My Perfect Mind
In 2007, British actor Edward Petherbridge suffered a stroke that left him unable to play King Lear, a part that he had travelled to New Zealand to rehearse. Nevertheless, the actor was still able to recall every one of his lines. Of this serious incident he and Paul Hunter have created My Perfect Mind, a re-imagination… Read more »
Interview: Susan Philipsz at Fundació Antoni Tàpies
One of the biggest problems in contemporary society is how to deal with all the shouting. Internal and external, intellectual and emotional, sometimes it seems as if the noise will never stop. Scottish artist Susan Philipsz, winner of the 2010 Turner Prize and a recipient of an OBE in 2014, creates audio installations that soothe even… Read more »
Akram Khan and Israel Galván talk ‘Torobaka’
At Montpellier Dance Festival June 27th and 28th … British dancer Akram Khan and Spain’s Israel Galván talk about their contemporary dance piece, Torobaka. The two were coaxed into a collaboration by Francesc Casadesús, the director of Barcelona’s contemporary dance space Mercat de les Flors, and admit that the prospect of combining their two highly-independent… Read more »
What’s on? D’après une historie vraie – Christian Rizzo / L’Association Fragile
D’après une historie vraie (‘based on a true story’) is a contagiously joyful contemporary dance piece, a creation of the French choreographer Christian Rizzo. Born in Cannes in 1965, Rizzo’s interests are wide and varied: rock music, fashion design, visual art and, more recently, film and opera are all on his resume! Yet somehow he manages… Read more »
What’s on? El Sur – Víctor Ullate Ballet
Víctor Ullate Ballet’s performance of El Sur is my highlight of the week for all fans of classical dance, contemporary dance, flamenco… the performing arts in general. This 90-minute piece is dedicated to the late, great flamenco singer Enrique Morente, whose songs provide the musical setting for a balletic tale of love, hate, murder and suicide… Read more »
WHAT’S ON? Pieter Hugo_Kin_
South African photographer, Pieter Hugo (Cape Town, 1976), winner of the World Press Photo prize for portraits in 2005, and a finalist in 2012’s Deutsche Börse prize, has a new series of his work on display at Barcelona’s Fundació Foto Colectania until 10th December 2014. Unlike his previous commissioned projects in neighbouring African countries such as… Read more »