What did you think of the show?
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theatreguys 
So are We
A very different ballet at the Opera House tonight, wasn’t too sure at first but as it continued so did our love of the music and movement of the dancers. The second ballet , sadly we found a tad too long and didn’t enjoy the music as much as the first act , although having said that the choreography was absolutely first class ! X
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Cyrano De Bergerac
Thoroughly enjoyed the performance especially with incorporating the auditorium which they all seemed to enjoy? I was disappointed with his nose, hardly noticeable?!
Thank your Fredo and Mike for another entertaining evening and for Bill for getting us home quickly.
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Cyrano
Very enjoyable performance with great acting . Loved the sets and the conversions from one scene to another. Very different to my memories of the film with Gerard Depardieu. Think I preferred Adrian Lester!
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So are We; Leon & Lightfoot
I wasn’t sure what to expect only having been to one ballet many years ago.
I much enjoyed Shoot the Moon with the clever staging and changing rooms though cannot claim to have actually to match the theme with the dance.
Salle de Dance was an impressive spectacle with all the various sets and dances.
I will have to try ballet again
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So Are We: León and Lightfoot
A truly unique celebration of movement, last night was our first introduction to the inspiring choreography of León and Lightfoot. The stylistic flair and intensity of the performances were like no other ballet we have seen before.
The frenetic jutting and angular movements of Shoot the Moon, with the guttural cries and hisses, showcased the inner turmoil of the relationships so effectively. Difficult and dark, it was also balanced by moments of sweeping fluidity and elegance that added punctuation marks of hope and escapism. This was ballet that encompassed the whole body; a visceral and powerful performance that left its heart on the stage, bruised and quivering.
The second ballet of the evening, Salle de Danse, shared the intensity and paired back style of the first but also made room for some humour and was a joyful and playful celebration of dance.
Beautifully arranged music by Philip Glass throughout added a cinematic quality to both ballets and was a wonderful accompaniment to the circus of limbs of the group dances.
This short running programme would easily have passed us by, so a big thank you to the theatre group for the wonderful seats and an important reminder to try something out of your comfort zone!
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So we are.
Shoot the Moon
Philip Glass’s compositions are not really our taste but this piece was an excellent choice to accompany the dances. Trying to work out the relationships between the rooms was interesting and difficult but the dance performances were impressive and enjoyable. We are not sure if we did connect the piece with the meaning of ‘Shoot the ‘Moon’.
So much was done by the lighting to create the atmosphere with light constantly shining, like the moon, through windows and partially open doors. A really enjoyable piece.
Salle danse was a fabulous piece to watch. A ballet class turned into some wonderfully imaginatively choreographed pieces. We recognised some of the performers, Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambé possibly our favourites that we could identify. To see the whole cast dance at the end was a real treat, with everyone in step. Again the lighting was so well designed to mark out the space for each performer. Our only criticism is the availability of cast sheets that we could easily refer to. Yes they can be viewed on a phone but not without distracting others. It seems to be saving a lot of paper though.
Thanks Fredo and Mike for this fabulous return to the ROH, may there be many more.
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So We Are
What an excellent evening of ballet. The first half with haunting music, clever set design and a puzzling story line was followed by a second act with fast moving, individual cameos of joy. A treat of exceptional dancing. The talent displayed was breathtakingly beautiful. Fabulous seats. Thank you Fredo and Mike for such an enjoyable experience.
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So We Are
What an expected unique experience- truly splendid.
I feel extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to see this ballet .
The music and dancing were so well linked and choreographed. Sometimes evoking feelings of sadness and nostalgia but also joy and humour.
The seats in the Amphitheater afforded us, we lucky theatreguys members ,great views of the whole stage and orchestra including the conductor.
Many thanks Mike & Fredo . Definitely an evening to remember.
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I didn’t know what to expect from the synopsis and thought it might be rather dry but what a treat! Funny raunchy and tender and beautifully acted. I have always wanted to see Adrian Lester and was definitely not disappointed plus duals and a cartwheel! Roxane and Christian were so good too.
The ending was unsentimental but very moving and I thought the addition of the little boy was touching. Thank you Fredo definitely something to remember.
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So are we,Leon and Lightfoot.
Ballet at the Opera House….
Very different and absolutely delightful…athletic,perhaps acrobatic..untraditional and captivating…both parts exceptional,maybe enjoyed the second half more..
Music superb also..
Many thanks thanks Fredo and Mike…
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Cyrano de Bergerac
I confess I had no knowledge of this play and really booked to see Adrian Lester.
Shame on me. But it was a brilliant evening of theatre, full of wit, energy and sad truths. A huge thank you to Fredo and Mike for bringing it into my orbit, and what a treat when the whole cast project and one is not straining to hear, as has been the case with several productions I have seen this year.
Five stars from me.
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Cyrano de Bergerac
This production could be described as a Gesamtkunstwerk, a “total work of art.” It’s a fabulous combination of great acting and witty, athletic choreography, sinuous live music, atmospheric lighting and imaginative use of the whole auditorium. What more could you ask for? (Well, at Bayreuth you’d expect rather more singing).
There’s a comedia del’arte feel about the style, initially at least, with elements of Monty Python thrown in as appropriate. Likewise, the text retains its original verse mode at times but the explicit modernisms are well judged and rib-tickling. The touching storyline is in no hurry to reveal itself. The surrounding “business” – so very well done, detailed and polished by the energetic cast – sometimes risks clouding the plot, but that is forgivable.
I guess that the play’s continuing audience appeal is its central paradox. Levi Brown as Christian carries his awkward role very well, charming but not overly bovine. As Cyrano, Adrian Lester gives us his all, a truly remarkable multi-faceted character, both bold and vulnerable, triumphant and tragic. He does not overshadow other cast members and the well-honed ensemble is impressive. Altogether it’s a fine tribute to the RSC and a wonderful example of what live theatre can do!
Garth
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Cyrano de Bergerac
Apart from Fredo’s helpful “setting the scene” and knowing about his nose, I was pretty ignorant about Cyrano de Bergerac. What a revelation and not really what I was expecting although I hadn’t known what to expect! I thought it was such an excellent play with great acting, especially, of course, from Adrian Lester. And I liked the way the musicians were incorporated into the play.
Thank you Fredo and Mike for another interesting evening at the theatre.
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Cyrano de Bergerac
What a treat to see Adrian Lester back on stage. Wiki tells me it’s 10 years since he starred in Red Velvet, about the 19th century black actor Ira Aldridge, at the Garrick. His star quality was evident then as it was again last night. As Cyrano, Adrian captures the character’s wit, intelligence, erudition and, on occasion, arrogance while also revealing to us the vulnerable soul behind the bravado (and the nose). For an actor in his late 50s, Adrian’s physical strength and stamina was most impressive, including a cartwheel!
Cyrano’s story is well known from the many film adaptations of Rostand’s novel over the years and this production had a new, modern translation and some adaptations. I wasn’t sure that all the updates worked, including the addition of a child actor playing the young Cyrano which felt unnecessary given Adrian’s skill in inhabiting the role. And the less said about the sweary novice nun in the later, sadder scenes, the better……
I’m also not sure that Susannah Fielding’s feisty Roxanne would have fallen so hard for Christian, played by Levi Brown, who just wasn’t handsome enough, at least for me. Apologies to Levi, who conveyed very well the discomfiting aspects of Cyrano’s “appropriation” of his epistolary relationship with Roxanne. In retrospect, these are minor quibbles on what was undoubtedly Adrian’s night. It’s good to have him back on the London stage even if, perhaps, his proboscis wasn’t quite prominent enough to overshadow his still handsome features….
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