When the two titans of ballet in New York meet for the first time in a neutral foreign arena, you know it's going to be a good show. And it was. Hats off to Sara Mearns and Marcelo Gomes for superb performances in The Red Shoes at City Center where Matthew Bourne's latest production has a brief run through November 5th. We loved watching these two artists step out of their cushy comfort zones and use their artistry to capture and tell a famous story like The Red Shoes. Mearns in a red wig without a lot of eye makeup was fascinating to watch. It may be the first time we've ever been able to actually see her honest expression as opposed to just seeing her makeup move on her face. Marcelo as the ensemble player who was actually the star, played the struggling composer, Julian Craster, perfectly. The production has its problems, but its stars tonight made them seem unimportant.
Now it's time to climb into the Gisellemobile and head off to Chicago. What an October this has been!
I so much enjoyed seeing Sara Mearns dial down her drama (and yes, her makeup) to portray the character of Victoria Page. I've seen that film so many times I could actually hear the words from the film in my mind throughout the performance. IMHO, it was brilliantly conceived and executed. A few quibbles: Mearns's hair (wig?) should have been more red, like Gillian Murphy's. And I would have loved to hear the original music from the Ballet of the Red Shoes. Although the company dancers were very good in their medium, they weren't ballet dancers and it showed. I loved when Lermontov pounded his fist into his other palm. I think he may have done that in the original.
Posted by: angelica | October 28, 2017 at 06:01 PM