CLASSIC MAHABHARATA Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 5-Sat 9 Jun
East meets West is often a tricky encounter. Can either of us truly reproduce the culture and sensibilities of the other? Director Stuart Wood’s version of the ancient epic Indian poem, Mahabharata, chooses to combine the two. ‘We use Western modern theatre practice coupled with an ancient Hindu text so there’s a duality.’
‘lt’s a massive epic story,’ he continues. ‘Our version centres on the story of Draupadi. She is won as a wife but when the prince takes her home he’s forced to share her with his five brothers. The eldest loses her in a dice game, and just as she is about to be stripped in front of the court, Krishna saves her modesty. She then urges them all to fight for her honour, leading to an apocalyptic war. By focusing on her you get an impression of what this great story is all about without compromising it too much in two-and- a-half hours.’
Wood goes on to describe the importance of the Mahbharata. ‘Not only is it the centrepiece of a huge world faith, it’s not defunct, it’s a part of everyday Hindu life and culture, in a way that’s so alien to a Western culture where religion is reserved for Sundays or not at all.’
Using an international cast of performers, puppeteers, dancers, singers and musicians, Wood, along with revered composer Nitin Sawhney, award- winning writer Stephen Clark and choreographer and Kathak expert Gauri Sharma Tripathi, has strived to create a new version of this classic which blends Hindu tradition with contemporary inflections. ‘lt’s morally contentious in an age where we look for simple solutions,’ says Wood. After a sell out run at Sadler’s Wells in London, the tour is off to a promising start. ‘lt’s full of questions. So I hope on one level that it’s a great evening of theatre but I hope people go away and question.’ (Greer Ogston)
Reviews
CONTEMPORARY DANCE YIPPEEE!!! MacRobert, Stirling, Tue 5 Jun
With his love of geometric patterns and big budget dance routines. Busby Berkeley knew how to entertain an audience. And trying to emulate such a master. in these days of funding cuts and small venues. is no mean feat. But as she's more than demonstrated over the past 23 years. Lea Anderson is always up for a challenge.
In her role as artistic director of two dance groups — the all-female Cholmondeleys (pronounced Chumleys) and all-male Featherstonehaughs (pronounced Fanshaws) — Anderson has created over 100 works. and been awarded an MBE for services to dance. Her latest venture. however. seems to have divided Opinion.
Inspired by Berkeley's 1930s film. Whoopee.’. the superny titled Y/PPEEE.’.’.’ takes the late choreographers love of repetitive patterns and gives it teeth. With outrageOus costumes. including three legged trousers. gas masks and tails. and a live score performed by the Yum Yum Band. the show flies in the face of conventionality.
At 90 minutes long withOut an
MODERN DANCE INTRODANS ENSEMBLE FOR YOUTH AND NDT2
King‘s Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 24—Sat 26 May/ Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 29 & Thu 30 May
interval several comments have been made about excess length. Then again, nobody ever said art had to be easy, so go ahead and judge for yourself. (Kelly Apter)
NEW WORK
‘E POLISH GUINE
Paisley Arts Centre, Tue 29 May, then touring
Henry Adam's capacity to emotionally move an audience has remained unchallenged in Scotland over recent years. This writer's work. for all the wildly funny farce of such pieces as The People Next Door. and unflinching political commentary of Petro/ Jesus Nightmare has. at its centre. a warmth and human compassion which never fails to melt the stoniest heart.
Yet. for all this. there's often a sense of just how frighteningly human beings can behave. a quality that director Matthew Zajac finds in this rewritten version of Adam's play of the early 90s. In it. a young soldier returns to his rural Aberdeenshire home after the Second World War to find the adjacent farm to his parents is occupied by some Polish emigrants. With ambitions for the place themselves. the family engage in a dangerous rivalry. which profoundly affects the emotional futures of several of the characters.
'He‘s a very beautiful and courageous writer. and he's not afraid of looking at the darker side of human nature.‘ says Zajac. 'lt's not a classical tragedy. but there's a tragic element to it. which I think some audiences will find very cathartic. It examines the idea that what the Nazis did can in fact be done by any race or nationality at any time. depending on the circumstances. The potential for evil is within each of us.‘ Once again. though. yOU might expect a night from this touring production by Dogstar which will effect the heart as much as the head. (Steve Cramer)
Double Dutch usually implies confusion and misunderstanding. But in Edinburgh this month. it means two tasty helpings of dance from the Netherlands. Hot on each other's heels. Introdans Ensemble for Youth and Nederlands Dans Theater 2 will prove just how pioneering Holland has become in the field of modern dance.
The talented y0ung dancers of NDT2 always cause a frisson of excitement when they perform in Scotland. Their intoxicating blend of youth, athleticism and incredible technique invariany hits the spot. This time ar0und. they'll be performing works by former NDT director Jiri Kylian. Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin and husband and wife team Paul Lightfoot and Sol LeOn.
It was due to the success of companies such as Hague-based NDT and Amsterdam's Dutch National Ballet that Introdans came into being. With the East of Holland more than catered for dance-wise. the West felt a little under-represented. FOunded in Arnhem in 197 t. Introdans has a similar remit to NDT - exciting and innovative contemporary dance based on ballet technique. But in 1989. the company split into two halves — one for adults. one for children.
'For us the two companies are edually important.' says Introdans' artistic director Roel Voorintholt. ‘It's not that the kids' one has less budget. they are both the same. And it's good for young audiences to see a high level of work performed by profesSIonal dancers.’ Having gone down a storm two years ago. Introdans Ensemble For Youth is back at the Bank of Scotland Children's International Theatre Festival. performing Ky/ian/IK/ds. Featuring five diverse works by Jiri Kylian. the show introduces yOung people to a potentially new kind of dance.
'We always try to make the programmes as different as possible. so that for one hour they're in a different world.‘ says Voorintholt. ‘Why shOuld I only do dances with hip hop and things they see on teleVIsion every day? I want to show them something else.‘ (Kelly Apter)
941 May—7 Jun 2007 THE LIST 77