'Kes' flies as dance show at Sheffield Crucible

[kport]

Kes, the iconic film based on a bestselling book, is to fly again - this time as a dance theatre production thanks to a real life Billy Elliot from South Yorkshire.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/what-s-on/out- ... -1-6505009

More information and tickets:

http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/kes-14

[patc]

And Barnaby Meredith and Phil Snowden are in it!!!!

http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/kes-14

Pat

[ERinVA]

Interestingly, so is Tom Jackson-Greaves, who danced the role of Caradoc in the recent production of Matthew Bourne's "Sleeping Beauty" in which Liam Mower danced Count Lilac and Tantrum.

[kport]

A rather excellent review from that rather excellent newspaper, The Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/a ... ines-dance

[patc]

I saw this in Sheffield last night. Thirty years ago I’d have gone to the Crucible for one reason only – the World Snooker Championship. Prior to the show I was imagining what it was like all those years ago when the likes of Alex Higgins, Ray Reardon, Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis went looking for gold here but, tonight, it was people with cues of a different kind who set foot on stage. (a low floor stage with seating on three sides.)

In a nutshell this was a magical production – a story told with music and dance with no (or very few) words except in a song (kinda). Not being a “fan of the ballet” it took me a while to get a handle on what was going on but, luckily, having read the detailed programme synopsis in advance, things took shape quickly. (It must be 40 years plus since I saw the original film).

Part One was great itself but Part Two took off with an hilarious, danced-with-no-ball football (soccer) game with Phil Snowden (wearing the coveted No. 9 shirt) to the fore in a priceless rendition of the coach running amok among his players on the “pitch” (complete with goalpost). I’m still laughing. This was a master stroke because anyone who may have been a little overawed at this stage (one or two people I spoke with at the interval had thought it was going to be a play with words as well as dance) were fully drawn in and, from then on, were captured as the story escalated powerfully to it’s sad climax.

Barnaby was magnificent. Like Phil, he had numerous parts to play and dance throughout including a majestic “dream ballet” (sort of) only this time not with this show’s Billy. I could have watched that particular scene all night.

As in Lord of the Flies, a small bunch of local youngsters were drafted in to play Billy’s schoolmates. This group were not just extras. They were fully involved in the dancing throughout the show and can feel justly proud of their performances. Congratulations to them and the production company for doing it. Their hard work sure paid off.

Chester Hayes who played Billy was a great lead and a great dancer and there was even an “Angry Dance” (kinda) included .

The remainder of the professional cast all were excellent as was the music score.

The staging was terrific with cast members moving the props around in such well ordered fashion and slow-motion speed that made those movements look part of the show itself.

All in all, a great evening’s entertainment well worth the trip over.

Pat

[ERinVA]

Thanks for the excellent review, Pat. Wish I could have seen this.