Tonight, I was back with UITCS for She Persisted, by the English National Ballet, at Sadler's Wells. I had that rescheduled phone interview - which went ok, we shall see. And I was determined to reward myself by going to this. Headed out - in the face of the ever-present last-minute work requests coming from the States - and walked there. Need the exercise, particularly when I'm snuffly. And once I was there, I climbed all the way to the Second Circle, as usual - was the first of the group to arrive, and found a bar table to lean on. They duly found me, and we chatted till it was time to go in.
I may have been all the way in the top level, but was unusually far forward, for me - the cheapest seats were gone by the time I booked, you see. Indeed, it was a sell-out. I was in Row F, which, handily enough, is the very row at the entrance level to the Second Circle. The safety curtain, BTW, is the same one used for the prequel to this, She Said, which I was so impressed by, nearly three years ago:
The programme is entirely comprised of female choreographers. First up, Broken Wings, is arguably the best of the lot, and surely was my favourite. Based on the life of the artist Frida Kahlo, it's as visually stunning as any of her paintings. Colourful and passionate, it assaults the senses - tired as I am, with the job search and my cold, it jolted me awake. With plenty of humour too, it is a riotous start to the evening, and sets a hard standard for the others to follow.
There are three pieces in all, with intervals between. The second, Nora, is based on A Doll's House. Seeking to give a sense of the play, and focusing on this frustrated wife, it looks so dull, visually, after the first, with no real colour to set or costumes: but, set to an incredible score by Philip Glass, it is stunningly beautiful.
The evening ends with Le Sacre du Printemps, by Pina Bausch, with a score by Stravinsky. A much darker piece, set on a base of loose soil that's been carefully arranged during the interval, it shows a group of women - in pale shifts - and men - in dark trousers. A palpable sense of menace pervades the whole, and, while it's most striking, I got the least from this one this evening. Quite likely I just wasn't in the mood - and it didn't help that, about 2/3 of the way through, I got a coughing fit and decided to leave. I watched the rest from the bar, with a glass of water, listening to the commentary by the ushers at a nearby table. Worked out much better.
Overall though, this is the most accessible - and enjoyable - programme I've ever seen here! Go see, if you have a chance - tickets only available, at time of writing, for the next two nights - cheaper tomorrow night.
Tomorrow, my boss is back from a break. That's also the day that one of our colleagues finds out - early - whether she's being made redundant; she's going on holiday the next day, you see. So I think drinks are in order - just as well I hadn't anything booked.
On Wednesday, finally back with London Literary Walks, after a winter drought! This walk is called Spies in Pimlico, and it'll be great to see him.
On Thursday, I was supposed to be back with UITCS in Southwark Playhouse, for The Rubenstein Kiss. But then everything started to go down.. first, we found out that a colleague is leaving, and has his leaving drinks that night. Then we found out we're at risk of redundancy, and will find out that day! which could, therefore, be our last day in the company. Probably, given the "all-hands" meeting last week, to which some people (me included) weren't invited! Anyway, drinks are the order of the day - I've cancelled. Which is a bummer, not only because this is supposed to be good, but also as I bought this subscription that entitles me to five discounted tickets.. and this is the second that I booked with it and have had to cancel!
And on Friday, back with UITCS, at Sitting, Katherine Parkinson's debut play, at the Arcola.
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