ONE OTHER SHOW/FESTIVAL IN JUNE
22 June - 12 July, Montpelier, France
I always have slightly mixed feelings about Montpelier Danse. On the one hand it’s a rigorously conceived event in a beautiful city but the core of the program does seems to repeat the same choreographers year after year. Having said that they are fine artists such as Mathilde Monnier, William Forsyth, Saburo Teshigawara and Sidi Larbi Chaerkaoui.
SHOWS FOR JUNE 2012
I’ve been off putting together Vivid LIVE and haven’t been on trains and planes as much as usual so just getting back on the blog again now. There’s a bunch of stuff in the second half of June including the Luminato Festival in Toronto, the beginning of the London Festival as part of the Cultural Olympiad and the start of the summer music festival season with the customarily strong Sonar program in Barcelona. Serious amount of stuff coming our way in July - I’ll post a blog over the next few days. Links on everything that’s underlined.
by Robert Lepage
Opera Centre, Toronto, June 13 – 17
First part of Robert Lepage’s new four part epic set in Las Vegas in 2003 at the outbreak of the Gulf War. Lepage certainly isn’t tempering his ambition any time soon. Part of Toronto’s Luminato Festival.
Sonar Club, Barcelona June 15
Tom Jenkinson’s latest incarnation is both spectacular and surprisingly accessible. Super high tech in lots of ways, the visuals are also retro in a LED kind of way and the music is a return to a much heavier club sound that hasn’t been evident for a few years. It’s a lot of fun. Part of the amazing Sonar line-up.
Old Billingsgate Market, London 29 June – 1 July
Festival celebrating the links between Africa and Brazil with a truly jaw dropping line up that includes Gilberto Gil, Macy Gray, Hugh Masekela and too many more to mention. Really interesting venue too – the Old Billingsgate Market.
National Theatre of Scotland
13 - 20 June, Tramway, Glasgow
A complete re-imagining of Macbeth by Alan Cumming directed by John Tiffany (holding his freshly minted Tony) and Andrew Goldberg. Off to Lincoln Center Festival and presumably lots of other places after this Glasgow premier.
The Plays of Tom Murphy
20 - 30 June, Hampstead Theatre, London
Three plays with accompanying seminars etc. by Irish writer Tom Murphy produced by Druid Theatre Company from Galway, who, along with their director Gary Hynes, are regarded as the finest interpreters of Murphy’s brilliant but brooding plays. This Hampstead engagement is the London run of a project, which will travel all over the world.
30 June, Titanic Slipway, Belfast
OK, so this is completely overblown and might be awful but it’s great to see a company this far north of continental Europe having a pop at a major outdoor spectacle. It’s a notoriously hard thing to pull off and if this team manages it, it’ll be a huge boost to the folk who work in this area.
Elevator Repair Service
thru 8 July, Noel Coward Theatre, London
The ‘every word of the book’ production arrives in London after having slowly built up a near hysterical word of mouth in the US. Definitely worth the effort.
10 SHOWS FOR FEBRUARY 2012
Improbable
2 - 25 February 2012
The Pit, Barbican, London
Improbable latest and much anticipated work. Advertised as ‘Featuring a lush score of bass fiddle, gin parlour piano, metronome and bells, this dark but hilarious show is performed on a gloriously theatrical wood-panelled set’ – hard not to think of ‘Shockheaded Peter’.
Heiner Goebbels
14 – 19 Feb
Theatre Bouffes du Nord, Paris
A chance to see Heiner Goebbels magnificent Max Black in the elegantly crumbling surrounds of the Bouffes du Nord. The show should look amazing in this theatre.
25 – 27 Feb,
Bethnal Green,
Not a show as such, but a lively and increasingly important forum for theatre in the UK and beyond.
“BIOPHILLIA” NEW YORK RESIDENCY & EDUCATION SERIES
Björk
Björk and The Creators Project stage a 10-night New York residency split between the New York Hall of Science in Queens and Roseland Ballroom this February. The series of live performances will mark the Stateside-debut of her critically acclaimed Biophilia live show, an intense and intricately crafted spectacle that explores the inherent link between humans and living systems, nature and technology.
February 3 New York Hall of Science Queens, NY
February 6 New York Hall of Science Queens, NY
February 9 New York Hall of Science Queens, NY
February 12 New York Hall of Science Queens, NY
February 15 New York Hall of Science Queens, NY
February 18 New York Hall of Science Queens, NY
February 22 Roseland Ballroom New York, NY
February 25 Roseland Ballroom New York, NY
February 28 Roseland Ballroom New York, NY
March 2 Roseland Ballroom New York, NY
By Sarah Kane
TR Warszawa
22 – 25 Feb
Drama Theatre, HK Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong
Grzegorz Jarzyna’s striking production of Sarah Kane’s harrowing meditation on the darkest minute of the night visits the Hong Kong Festival
LA NUIT JUSTE AVANT LES FORETS
by Bernard-Marie Koltes
Directed by Patrice Chereau Thierry Theiu Niang
Centre Dramatique National, Orleans, France
15 – 16 Feb
The remarkable Romain Duris stars in Patrice Chereau’s stripped back staging of Koltes’ bleak monologue.
MAU
29 Feb – 1 March
St. James Theatre, Wellington, New Zealand
Lemi Ponifasio’s provocative dance work finally returns home for its New Zealand premiere at the New Zealand International Arts Festival.
Teatro de los Sentidos
Directed by Enrique Vargas
10 Feb – 3 March
Enrique Vargas’ laberinths pre-dated the Punchdrunks of this world by over a decade. Interesting chance to see how this early work is holding up. A ‘one person at a time’ navigation through sound, smell, taste, touch and feel.
Camille Boitel Companie Si par hazard
Scene Nationale d’Orleans, France
9 February 2012
The hit of the London Mime Festival moves onto a French tour.
by Simon Stephen’s
directed by Katie Mitchell
Hampstead Theatre, London
18 Jan – 25 Feb
Far from perfect but a lot to admire in Katie Mitchell’s slick production of Simon Stephen’s riff on Jarry’s Ubu Roi and the tribunal on crimes against humanity.
ONE MORE SHOW FOR JANUARY 2012…
On the blog I wrote yesterday I left out one of the show’s I’m most looking forward to in January - Zimmerman & de Perrot’s new work HANS WAS HEIRI. These guys have it all - brilliant design, razor sharp wit and wonderful characterization.
17 Jan - 5 Feb
Zimmerman & de Perrot
Theatre Vidy, Lausanne
10 SHOWS FOR JANUARY 2012
Surprisingly busy January around the traps. As well as the handful of suggestions this is the month of Under the Radar and Coil in New York and Sydney Festival in Australia.
As always roll over the titles for the links.
12 – 14 Jan
Hofesh Schechter & Antony Gormley
The Barbican Theatre, London
Hofesch Schechter composes a musical work for thirty musicians set in a world created by sculptor Antony Gormley.
18 Jan
Akram Khan
Grand Theatre Arriere Scene, Luxemburg
Akram Khan’s 2011 solo work, DESH, inspired by his parents’ homeland of Bangladesh plays a single Luxembourg date. It plays at Saddlers Wells from mid February. DUE TO AN INJURY AKRAM KHAN HAS CANCELLED ALL PERFORMANCES OF DESH UNTIL OCTOBER.
15 Jan
Popular Music from the 1770’s
Joe’s Pub, New York
Bit of a ‘wait and see’ but it’s hard not to be intrigued by this project - Taylor Mac and band are working on a 24-hour concert called “The History of Popular Music” to be performed in the spring of 2013, which will consist of over three hundred songs from the last twenty- four decades. He’s using Joe’s Pub gigs to learn and perform some of the material for the first time (he premiered the 1970’s, 1930’s and 1880’s in Oct/Nov).
31 Jan – 10 Feb
Russell Maliphant
Theatre National de Chaillot
As well at these Paris dates there is a one off Sadlers Wells matinee (5 Feb) for Maliphant’s new work inspired by the sculptor Auguste Rodin. For The Rodin Project, Maliphant has collaborated with a group of performers who specialise in forms of popping, breaking and contemporary dance.
19 – 21 Jan
BAM Opera House, New York
Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum continues his extraordinary emergence from self imposed professional exile with three sold out shows in the BAM Opera House. Songs sound better than ever.
17 – 21 Jan
Cheek by Jowl
Sydney Theatre (Sydney Festival)
After a very successful run in Paris, Cheek by Jowl take their new production to Sydney followed by an extensive UK tour.
16 – 17 Jan
Hiroaki Umeada/ S20
Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House, London
Umeada combines radical minimalism with elegant digital visuals in his 21st century solos. The movement is as frenetically charged as the light pixels that surround him.
26 – 28 Jan
Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner & The Farewell Speech
chelfitsch
Goldcorp Centre (Push Festival)
The pick of this year’s Push should be the darlings of Japanese progressive theatre, Toshiki Okada’s chelfitsch and their highly choreographed nightmarish portrayal of modern life. Also at the Japan Society in New York from 5 – 14 Jan.
until 7 Jan
Hampstead Theatre
Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, Tim Supple and Melly Still stage classic stories including Bluebeard, Beauty and the Beast and The Emperor’s New Clothes in this sharp revival.
until 5 Feb
Jeu de Paume
The first major retrospective in France with a selection of two hundred photographs by the Amercian photographer.
10 SHOWS FOR THIS WEEK
It’s a slightly quiet week as the main European seasons haven’t quite kicked off and the summer festivals are drawing to a close. The Edinburgh Fringe has packed up its tents while the International Festival still has a week to run. Attention is starting to shift to the autumn festivals such as Festival d’Automne, Dublin Theatre Festival and the Melbourne Arts Festival. Here are a few interesting works taking place in different corners of the world this week.
Roll over titles for links.
1. DANCE THEATRE: Can We Talk About This, DV8
2 – 4 September, Sha Tin Town Hall, HONG KONG
Just opened to enormous acclaim in Australia - Lloyd Newson’s plea for a less fearful discussion about the rights and responsibilities of Islamic communities.
2. DANCE: Drought & Rain, Ea Sola Dance Company
1 – 3 September, Kings Theatre, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND (Edinburgh International Festival)
The Edinburgh Fringe is now over but the International Festival is still running. Drought & Rain is a re-creation of Ea Sola’s 1995 meditation on Vietnam’s difficult history. The company is primarily made up of elderly Vietnamese women.
3. THEATRE: Woyzeck on the Highveld, Handspring Puppet Company & William Kentridge
6 – 10 September, Silk Street Theatre, Barbican, LONDON, ENGLAND
Buchner’s unfinished play is transferred to 1950’s Johannesburg in a revival of a very famous Handspring show – their first collaboration with Kentridge. Part of an extensive UK tour.
4. MUSIC: Matthew Herbert’s One Pig
2 September, Royal Opera House
A playing of Herbert’s new album, which covers sounds he recorded over the life cycle of a pig, including the unhappy ending. Part of the Royal Opera House’s Deloitte Ignite weekend curated by Mike Figgis.
5. MUSIC/FILM: Claire Denis Film Scores, Tindersticks
2 September, La Batie Festival, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
For 15 years French filmmaker Claire Denis and Tindersticks have collaborated. This show is a live performance, accompanying a prepared montage of scenes from six Denis films – tours widely around the UK throughout September.
6. THEATRE: Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Directed by Luc Perceval
2 – 17 September, Maschinehalle Zweckel, GLADBECK, GERMANY
A new Thalia/Rhurtriennale production by Belgian director Luc Perceval in the huge surroundings of the Maschinehalle Zweckel.
7. DANCE: Out of Context, for Pina, Alain Platel, Ballet C de la B
30 – 31 September, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (Spring Dance Festival)
Platel’s much toured work arrives in Australia for the excellent Spring Dance program at the Sydney Opera House
8. DANCE: TeZukA, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
6 – 10 September, Saddlers Wells, LONDON, ENGLAND
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s new show is an homage to the father of manga cartooning Osamu Tezuka who is best know for his character Astro Boy. Has a commissioned score by Nitin Sawhney and video projection work.
9. MUSIC: Gurrumul
29 – 30 August, Sydney Opera House, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Two main house sell outs for the amazing indigenous singer, songwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu from the Gumatj nation, North East Arnhemland.
10. OPERA: Die Frau ohne Schatten by Richard Strauss
1 - 3 September, Mariinsky Opera, Festival Theatre, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND (Edinburgh International Festival)
Valerie Gergiev leads the Mariinsky back to Edinburgh with a production directed by Jonathan Kent or Strauss’ operatic exotic fantasy.
THE 10 BEST SHOWS ON THE EDINBURGH FRINGE
Of course, with over 2,500 shows on offer, this title is a bit of an over reach, but the following is based on having seen a lot of work and heard a lot of chatter – one of these shows has yet to open its Edinburgh run but I’ve seen it earlier in the year. I’m lucky enough to have been invited to chair the committee deciding the Edinburgh International Festival’s Fringe prize, which means I’m seeing a lot of work. The rest of the committee know their Fringe inside out so I started with a pretty unfair advantage. Some of these shows are a bit incidental and some are there because they tickled something personal to me. But I enjoyed them all and think they’ll have a healthy life after the Fringe.
10. FROM THE FIRE
Triangle Productions (USA)
A new musical, about the 146 immigrant women killed in the Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. I know, it sounds awful but it’s really not.
http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/musicals-operas/from-the-fire
9. 2401 OBJECTS
Analogue (UK)
This company has been a gradually rising star on the Fringe and this year have been winning awards. Their work still has a way to go but if they keep improving at this rate they might have some good stuff in them The show is about neuroscience and memory
http://analogueproductions.blogspot.com/p/2401-objects.html
8. JOHN PEEL’S SHED
By John Osbourne (not that one) (UK)
Something of a gentle festival stocking filler and one for music nerds approaching middle age, this is the true story of how the author won a radio competition – the prize was a box of records from legendary DJ John Peel’s shed.
7. THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART
By David Greig
National Theatre of Scotland (SCO)
A deliberately rough and ready production set and played in a pub about folk, folklore and folksiness.
http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/default.asp?page=home_PrudenciaHart
6. BEOWULF
Banana Bag and Bodice (USA)
Loud, brash, dirty, lusty cabaret version of the Beowulf story in a tent.
http://www.bananabagandbodice.org/PRODUCTIONS/Beowulf/Beowulf.html
5. THE ADVENTURES OF ALVIN SPUTNIK
Weeping Spoon Productions (AUS)
I don’t think I’ve seen one review for this show that wasn’t 5 stars. Australian one-man fantasy created by Tim Watts about love and a journey to the underworld.
http://www.weepingspoon.com/AlvinSputnik/About.html
4. THE ANIMALS AND THE CHILDREN TOOK TO THE STREETS
1927 (UK)
The most prophetic show on the Fringe, this gem of a piece is about disenfranchised kids reeking havoc on a city – sound familiar?
http://www.19-27.co.uk/#animals
3. SILENT
By Pat Kinevane, Fishamble Theatre Company (IRE)
Very moving and brilliantly performed monologue about a homeless man.
http://fishamble.com/upcoming-productions
2. MASTERSLUT – TIM KEY
Starting off as a hesitant but still very funny gag fest (the poems are hilarious), this brilliant piece of comedy twists and turns into something unexpectedly sophisticated and twisted. Best comedian on the Fringe at the moment.
http://www.pleasance.co.uk/edinburgh/events/tim-key—-masterslut
1. MISSION DRIFT
The Team (USA)
The most coherent, sophisticated and substantial work on the Fringe by a country mile. Big ensemble meditation on the pioneering spirit in all its glory and horror. Amazing music from Heather Christian.
TEN SHOWS TO SEE (W/E 24 JULY)
Some great work kicking off this week.
Here’s are some thoughts.
Roll over the show titles for links.
CORNWALL (UK)
directed by Mike Shepherd & Emma Rice
23 July – 28 August, The Asylum, Cornwall
Kneehigh kick off their new season under the Asylum tented theatre with Midnight’s Pumpkin. Described as a Kneehigh ball it sounds like part party/part play - a Cinderalla story with a twist. The second part of their rep, The Wild Bride gets going on 11 August.
AVIGNON (FRA)
by August Strindberg directed by Katie Mitchell & Leo Warner, Schaubühne Berlin
22 – 24 July Festival d’Avignon
Katie Mitchell continues her merging of theatre and live video in a version of Miss Julie, which sees the play through the eyes through the usually minor character of Kristin, the cook.
PARIS (FRA)
Ballet Preljocaj/Angelina Preljocaj,
22-24 July, Hotel National Des Invalides, Paris Quatier d’Ete
Preljocaj’s finest work (in my opinion). Set to a live recording of John Cage’s Empty Words—a meditation on the sensuality of words freed from language—Empty moves follows suit, relishing in the body’s remarkable ability for precise line, clarity, and form.
NYON (SWI)/SINES (POR)
July 21: Paleo Festival, Nyon July 23: FMM Festival, Sines
The collaboration of Congolese bands Konono N°1 and Kasai Allstarsand and indie artists including Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Kasai Allstars, Wildbirds & Peacedrums and Skeletons. It shouldn’t work but it does.
LONDON (UK)
Curated by Portishead
23, 24 July Alexandra Palace
First edition of a new two day music event curated and featuring Portishead. Includes Portishead, PJ Harvey, Grinderman, Swans and Adrian Utley’s score for The Passion of Joan of Ark.
LONDON (UK)
BBC Proms
24 July Albert Hall
Semyon Bychkov conducts Verdi’s Requiem with Joseph Calleja, Marina Poplavskaya (soprano), Mariana Pentcheva (mezzo) and Ferruccio Furlanetto (bass).
CHALON (FRA)
20 – 24 July, Chalon
Street theatre, dance, circus, urban installations, strolling interventions, performances: for five days the whole city becomes a stage and pays a lively homage to the wealth of street art.
NEW YORK (USA)
19 July, Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Centre Festival
Leading voice of the Tropicalia movement makes his first New York appearance in over a decade.
LONDON (UK)
Theatre & Performance Installation by Katie Mitchell & Leo Warner
12 July - 29 August 2011 V&A Museum London
Five short films suggesting possible variations in how Ophelia might be interpreted dramatically through the lens of Constantin Stanislavski, Antonin Artaud, Bertolt Brecht, Jerzy Grotowski and Peter Brook.
PARIS (FRA)
Flesh and Blood and Fish and Fowl
by Geoff Sobell and Charlotte Ford
19 – 23 July, Maison des Métallos.
I don’t think this absurdist comedy got the full credit it deserved at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
TEN THINGS TO SEE (W/E 17 JULY 2011)
Galway Arts Festival and Lincoln Center Festival kick off, Manchester and Avignon in full flight +++ Roll over titles for links.
Very strong word of mouth on this new play starring the brilliant Cillian Murphy. Galway Arts Festival. Black Box Theatre Galway.
THE LIFE & DEATH OF MARINA ABRAMOVIC Festival dream team – now Opera/Music Theatre work by Antony Hegarty, about and starring Marina Abramovic, directed by Robert Wilson and featuring Willem Defoe at Manchester International Festival. 
The hottest ticket of the Avignon Festival - Juliette Binoche stars in Frédéric Fisbach production of Strinberg’s classic, 13 – 26 July
The latest very, very long musical from Nature Theater of Oklahoma tells one person’s life story in her own words, from birth to age 34 with a libretto written entirely to ukulele accompaniment. A rare example of an English language work at Festival d’Avignon with ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ TRIO, EMILY BEAR, ESPERANZA SPALDING, NIKKI YANOFSKY, M PLEX, DIANA KARAZON.
The grand daddy of the Montreux jazz festival presents one of his pot puri evenings of jazz and world music, this time with a New Orleans theme. Montreux, Switzerland 13 July
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
dir by Jeremy Herrin. Shakespeare’s Globe, London. Acclaimed production in the always beautiful outdoor/indoor setting of the Globe.
Angelique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves and Lizz Wright tour this two-hour tribute to 50 years of female musical fearlessness to ecstatic reviews – various venues about Europe this week.
Lincoln Center Festival, July 11 - 16,
Lots of people will be watching this to test the temperature of the Miriinsky and its Artistic Director Valery Gergiev. Two full length ballets Anna Karenina and The Little Humpbacked Horse, both choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, artist in residence at the American Ballet Theatre and a former director of the Bolshoi Ballet.
La La La Human Steps / Édouard Lock (CA), New work by Edouard Lock and Canadian dance company La La La Human Steps drawing on both the Orpheus & Euridice and Dido & Aneas narratives at Viennas Impulstanz Festivial.
by Bartabas & Ko Murobishi
Bartabas, Murobishi and four horses follow the interaction between man. Too slow for some but very beautiful none the less. At the Grec Festival, Barcelona this week 14 – 17 July, Teatre Lluire Montjuic.
TEN THINGS TO SEE (W/E 10 JULY 2011)
Roll over titles for links
Elevator Repair Service, Zurich Festival, Theaterhaus Gessneralle. ERS’ hugely engaging adaptation of Ernest Hemmingway’s novel, 7 – 9 July.
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A star studded concert tribute to Miles Davis at the beautiful Umbria Jazz Festival with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Marcus Miller and others
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by David Michalek, Lincoln Center Festival, an outdoor installation consisting of a huge projection of slow motion footage of actors. A dramatic counterpart to Michalek’s earlier spectacular Slow Dancing.
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by Damon Albarn directed by Rufus Norris, Manchester International Festival. New Opera about John Dee, the English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occultist, imperialist and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I. July 2011, Palace Theatre
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Sylvie Guillem, Guillem stars in this new evening of works by Mats Ek, William Forsythe and Jiří Kylián. 5 – 9 July Saddlers Wells.
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by William Forsyth, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Montpelier Danse. 5 – 6 July, Revival of the first ballet that Forsyth created after becoming director of the Frankfurt Ballet in 1984
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Chekhov International Festival, Moscow, July 1 – 7, Very beautiful French new circus work evoking a ragged fantastical community lost at sea.
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by Boris Charmatz, Avignon Festival. Charmatz, the choreographer and guest artist of the 2011 Avignon festival fills the Cour d’honneur du Palais des papes with 26 children aged from 6 to 12. 7,8 & 10 – 12 July
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SERPENTINE GALLERY PAVILION 2011
by Peter Zumthor, Influential Dutch designer Piet Oudolf ‘aims to help its audience take the time to relax, to observe and then, perhaps, start to talk again.’
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by Mathilde Monnier & Jean-Francois Duroure. Montpelier Danse. A reworking of a small earlier duet by Monnier and Duroure. 10 July
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