7 October 2015 at 10.42am | 4 Comments
Incredible performance by Sarah Lamb as Raven Girl. Fragile & fierce, desolate & joyful; final pas de deux was a triumph #ROHraven
— Louise (@angua15) October 6, 2015
So glad to have caught #ROHraven What a weird, wonderful story and gorgeous designs. Final pas de deux magical! And loved the @paul5kay solo
— Tzo Zen Ang (@tzozen) October 6, 2015
Nope, still not remotely a fan #ROHRaven
— Tiffany (@SecondNorn) October 6, 2015
#ROHraven Audrey Niffenegger's modern fairytale captures the endearing nature of change within all of us and the quest for equality.
— MichaelPeterJohnson (@mr_mpjohnson) October 6, 2015
SO much LOVE for @WayneMcGregor outstanding vision of what ballet can be about today. #ROHraven is a savage beauty! pic.twitter.com/abT9kOnLx3
— Elodie Noel (@elodienoel_) October 6, 2015
#ROHconnectome has this lovely soporific effect, leaving me all calm and relaxed. Why meditate when you can watch 7 gorgeous dancers instead
— sandra (@bicoated) October 6, 2015
Stunning #rohconnectome. Especially impressed by @LondonBallerina 's ability to add emotions to abstract ballet.
— Yosh M (@yoshkosh10) October 6, 2015
Saw #ROHconnectome for the second time but ironically, I still cannot connect with it!
— Farah Aburous (@farahaburous) October 7, 2015
I always wanted to see @LondonBallerina and @_edwatson dance together and their pdd simply it a chill down my spine #RohConnectome
— Andre (@krumhere) October 6, 2015
@_edwatson tops off his MBE today with an incredible performance in #ROHconnectome. Lovely to see @LondonBallerina dancing again too ????
— Becka Gandy (@BooGandy) October 6, 2015
Press reviews:
Telegraph ★★★
Guardian ★★★
The Stage ★★★
Time Out ★★★
Arts Desk (£) ★★★
Financial Times ★★
What did you think of Raven Girl and Connectome? Let us know via the comments below.
Raven Girl / Connectome runs until 24 October 2015. Tickets are still available.
The mixed programme is staged with generous philanthropic support from the Connoisseurs’ Series.
Connectome is staged with generous philanthropic support from Richard and Delia Baker and Peter Lloyd.
7 October 2015 at 10.42am
This article has been categorised Ballet and tagged by Alastair Marriott, by Wayne McGregor, Connectome, Mixed Programme, Production, Raven Girl, Raven Girl / Connectome, review, Social Media, twitter, your reaction
This article has 4 comments
Raven Girl is still weirdly disconnected, its partly necessary for its dark gothic atmosphere, but I feel other unease.. although I love the deep sonic boom we keep hearing throughout. Some scenes are beautiful and some overly staged for me, some are interlaced with great effect and I suppose the gothic needs to be elaborate.
I love an early eerily lit scene with yet to be introduced corps of ravens sticking their heads out of the gaps in the rock face, while main events continue, magical and subtle. Occasional 'dances to pick up paper' is a bit distracting, but the flow is kept here. I want to love it, dancers faces occasionally with McGregors work seem in a special place of thought. Not Soares whose anticipating moves in his fight scene was poor and he is generally unconvincingly awkward for a story, although I liked the victorian mutants as a contrasting section. Edward Watson was really on his game opening night, in both pieces, absolutely loved him like never before! was there more dancing in it for him than the first outing? Paul Kays solo was so well done, channeled Gene Kelly there. My problem with Raven Girl is it is based on a novel so has a narrative, relationships and moments of ballet with mixed results for McGregor as with Woolf Works, although that was rather more successful imo, it doesn't quite sit well with his abstract style. I loved the final pas de deux but what is the bizarre music about there!!! it also slightly misses the mark. All in all it feels too long because its basically missing some of the shapes people really want to see,. just occasionally. Peoples eyes are always darting around looking for something to settle on with his work its too annoying at length. Connetome was much needed relief a comfortable place, good programming and pure joy of ballet, it was indeed soporific. A hugely talented cast even without Osipova. The dancers danced this with love and freedom, what a wonderful energetic piece for all 6 male dancers! The set and transforming graphics were striking, yet calmly complemented the piece like snowy rain. Heaven and the underworld evening.
Saw last night's performance of Raven Girl with "second" cast - wonderful! I liked The ballet first time round, but it did need both pruning and restructuring. Wayne has done a very good job - worth all the work. It flowed so much better and you could tell all the dancers really believed in the piece. I can't express how much I admired Stix-Brunell - amazing dancing and acting, and Wayne has really brought out the actor in Bonelli. Stunning, distancing, moving and so well worth reviving. I'll be back on Saturday for Lamb and Watson! PS Lamb wonderful in Connectome.
Two wonderful productions. I thought Olivia Cowley moved with great beauty and she stole the show for me.
No words can describe just how perfect Sarah Lamb was as Raven Girl. I was literally blown away by her breathtaking grace and talent. The whole production - from the soul moving score to the original ideas for stage props, sets and gothic inspired costumes AND of course McGregor's mind boggling imaginative choreography - left my jaw firmly fixed on ROH's floor!!! I do hope that The Royal Ballet will continue to keep this hauntingly beautiful production as a regular fixture in their calendar. I must see it again and I will bring my sister along too!!