September 13, 2006
By Lucille Davie
HAMLET is in town . . . with wonderful costumes and extraordinary music, but dance that doesn't always match the drama of the play or the development of the characters.
A South African Ballet Theatre production, choreographed by Kenneth Greve, a teacher at the Royal Danish Ballet, and the last protégé of ballet wonder Rudolf Nureyev, the ballet has the potential for greatness. But the second half is simply a succession of anguished dashing from one side of the stage to the other, of the principal players.
It starts out promisingly, with Hamlet, played by Kimbrian Bergh and Ophelia, played by Angela Malan, giving an emotive and touching performance of their love for one another. The court scenes that follow are captivating and fill the stage with swirling costumes and bodies, as the story unfolds.
Malan strikes the correct balance of hopelessness and vulnerability with her dance but the other principal female lead, Gertrude the queen, danced by Karen Beukes, descends into a hopeless shaking of her head, and dashes across the stage to exit a few seconds after entering.
The queen is the principal antagonist to Hamlet, and needs to engage with him, but she hardly stays on stage long enough to look him in the eye.
I had the sense that at times Bergh wanted to shout out, or deliver a soliloquy, as he didn’t seem to be able to express the range of emotions he was experiencing through dance. If the dancers can’t speak, surely their dancing has to capture the drama of Shakespeare’s words and images?
Greve has choreographed six other works, and danced all the big ones, like Swan Lake, The sleeping beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, and The Nutcracker, but his choreography in Hamlet does not get close to Hamlet's lonely torment. At times the dancing is repetitive and unimaginative.
On the other hand, the music of Poul Ruders and George Frederick Handel is superb, perfectly enhanced by the simple stage sets and large castle and inner court room scenes projected on to the back of the stage.
The costumes, by Tine Sander, Immagika, Derek De-Patri, Simon Rademan, Sun Godd’ess, Marc & Michael, and Christiaan Ras Couture, were just right. Mostly simple but elegant, they capture the period, at the same time allowing the dancers to look graceful at all times.
This is the second time Greve’s Hamlet has been put on by the South African Ballet Theatre. Maybe it’s time for a new choreographer.
Hamlet runs at the Nelson Mandela Theatre until 24 September. Tickets are available at Computicket.
Permission to use web site material
Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
- Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website
(www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency
(www.joburg.org.za)";
- If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original
article on this website;
- The name of the article's author is acknowledged;
-
The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill
in this brief online form).
Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 |
