NDT2 – NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER

THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH

BOX OFFICE 01752 267222

WWW.THEATREROYAL.COM

RUNNING TIME – 2 HOURS 10 MINUTES (INCLUDING TWO INTERVALS)

 

5*****

 

1 MARCH 2022

CORMAC RICHARDS

WWW.REVIEWSGATE.COM

 

 

 

Nederlands Dans Theater is regarded as one of the world’s leading contemporary dance companies and on the evidence presented by their current UK tour it is not difficult to see why.

The UK is so fortunate to have an organisation such as the Dance Consortium which works with 18 regional theatres to bring top quality dance to their stages; offering a glimpse of worldwide companies with their breadth of skills and content. This production by NDT2 is part of this exemplary initiative.

 

Contemporary dance can sometimes be seen as impenetrable, mysterious, strange and inaccessible, but the beauty of it is that you can appreciate so much of it on many levels; from the sheer skill of the performers, the imagination of the choreographer and the stories that you might illicit from what you see. In this current tour NDT2 are presenting three wonderfully contrasting pieces and they have the audience entranced from start to finish.

 

THE BIG CRYING by Marco Goecke is an incredibly fast-paced, staccato dance featuring 16 dancers; sometimes one at a time, sometimes in groups. Vocal screams and laughter are offered up accompanied by the haunting songs of Tori Amos. The speed of movement in close proximity has a watchmakers precision. The sheer physicality of the performers is breathtaking. Feeding off the emotions he felt at the death of his Father, Goecke presents a work of power of intrigue and of impact.

 

SIMPLE THINGS by Hans Van Manen is a more balletic piece by contrast. Two men dance together; in competition? They are joined by two women and they pair up as the tonal quality of the music – wonderful combination of Alan Bern’s Scarlatti Fever and Joseph Haydn’s piano trio nr 28 in E-major – changes, slightly darker. The women leave the men to conclude the dance; it is cheeky, fun and utterly beguiling. Simply beautiful.

 

IMPASSE by Johan Inger starts with a doorway through which one, then two, then three people appear; happy, joyful, fun… others arrive, then more, the door gets smaller, a party ensues, the initial trio subsumed by others until…. It is exhilarating and inventive and intense at times. Inger illustrates how as individuals we are influenced by others and caught up by the actions of others. It is vibrant and thrilling work.

 

All pieces are staged wonderfully well with exquisite lighting throughout from Ubo Haberland, Joop Caboort and Tom Visser.

The performers are all under 25 and are magnificent, it seems unfair to highlight any but it is difficult not to have deep admiration for the work of Emmitt Cawley and Auguste Palayer.

 

The audience were transfixed throughout and brought to their feet at the final curtain.

NDT2 have put together a programme so skilfully which brings out the very best of their dancers; these are performances of outstanding quality from a company that is justly regarded as masterful.

 

 

 

DANCERS & CREATIVES

THE BIG CRYING by Marco Goecke

Emmitt Cawley, Kenedy Kallas, Barry Gans, Demi Bawon,
Samuel van der Veer, Ivo Matteus, Auguste Palayer, Nick Daniels, Nova Valkenhoff, Omani Ormskirk, Ricardo Hartley, Úrsula Urgeles, Annika Verplancke, Sophie Whittome, Rui-Ting Yu, Kele Roberson

 

SIMPLE THINGS by Hans van Manen

Emmitt Cawley, Kennedy Kallas, Auguste Palayer, Rui-Ting Yu

 

IMPASSE by Johan Inger

Annika Verplancke, Emmitt Cawley, Auguste Palayer, Nova Valkenhoff Rui-Ting Yu, Kenedy Kallas, Nick Daniels, Samuel van der Veer, Kele Roberson Demi Bawon, Sophie Whittome, Barry Gans, Omani Ormskirk, Ivo Mateus

 

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Emily Molnar

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Willemijn Maas,

ARTISTIC ADVISOR: Francesca Caroti

REHEARSAL DIRECTORS: Lydia Bustinduy / Ander Zabala / Spencer Dickhaus

MANAGER PLANNING & TOURING: Linda de Boer

TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR: Koos Planken

STAGE: Ole Schaaff

SOUND: Daan de Boer

LIGHT: Lisette van der Linden

WARDROBE: Sabine Moojen,

IMAGE: Joris Jan Bos