Richard Alston Dance Company

Richard Alston Dance Company, Triple Bill at the Oxford Playhouse: ‘Blow Over’ by Richard Alston, ‘Movements by Petrushka’, by Richard Alston, & ‘To Dance and Skylark’, by Martin Lawrence, 28th & 29th May, 2009

The Richard Alston Dance Company is known for its abstract, muted and thoughtful vein of contemporary dance. Yet I thought much of the choreography in this triple bill looked tired and bland, and the exuberance of the dancers seemed to outshine the steps created for them.

Not that it was a programme lacking in verve and fun. Alston’s first dance ‘Blow Over’ is set to the blaring, camp vocals of the little-heard ‘Songs from Liquid Days’ by Philip Glass, to which dancers strut lively, humorous routines that would almost have been witty if they hadn’t looked quite so conventional.

Alston’s ‘Movements by Petrushka’ is a significantly more sensitive and expressive piece, depicting the suffering of the puppet Petrushka, as an allegory of the emotional breakdown of the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, who created the role in Diaghilev’s original ballet. The second movement of the dance evokes the mental anguish of the puppet with brilliant, torturous physicality. The lithe Pierre Tapon dances this deft, sinuous, painfully expressive sequence with beautiful delicacy and intensity. The first and third movements of the dance, centred upon revelling crowd scenes, seem lumpy and cluttered by contrast. The live piano, playing Stravinsky onstage, is captivating throughout and augments the emotional impact of the piece.

The final dance ‘To Dance and Skylark’, by Martin Lawrence showcases purely vital, well-articulated, joyous choreography that brings out wonderfully the passion and glee of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos and undoubtedly shows the dancers at their best. As they soar across the stage with pleasing finesse we are finally treated to group dances that appear intricate and exacting, without compromising on fun.

Alston is frequently described as one of Britain’s foremost dancemakers, yet his choreography certainly pushes no boundaries, nor does it compensate with anything like exquisite use of his preferred traditional idiom.

The dancers are clearly skilled, and performed very well, which I’m afraid left me feeling that what holds the Richard Alston Dance Company back from really being an exciting ensemble is Richard Alston.

The Richard Alston Company will perform a different programme: Alert / Serene Beneath / Blow Over / Brink at The Place: Robin Howard Dance Theatre, London on 16^th & 17^th June, 2009.