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Oct 3 2000, The Telegram - St. John’s, Newfoundland
By Linda Rimsay
It has been a long time since we’ve seen a full house at the ballet in St. John’s but the Royal Winnipeg’s production of Dracula not only filled the house but brought it to a spontaneous and extended standing ovation at the end of the performance.
Mark Godden’s full-length ballet is based on the novel by Bram Stoker, first published in 1897. It was an interesting period when superstition and science collided. It explored the weak and submissive, the strong and independent, sexuality, intrigue with the unknown, fears and evils.
This is the same period when Mary Shelly created the famous Frankenstein. Electricity was new and exciting with the powers of it yet to be determined. Link this with the emerging theories of evolution and you have ample fuel for the creative mind.
Near Perfect
Through a near-perfect blend of the theatrical arts, Godden gives us a work which explores many of these elements. The costumes and set by Paul Daigle, along with the lighting design of David Morrison, are magical and beautifully incorporated into the choreography. The set changes before our eyes in a manner which allows us to travel effortlessly from place to place, always defining mood and atmosphere.
The choreography makes sense. Unlike many full-length ballets which contain dances for the sake of dances, every segment is used to tell the story, to define the characters, their emotions and relationships.
It is not easy to let the audience know all they need to about a character upon their entrance, but Godden does this with such finesse that we are able to devote our attention to the story and enjoy it.
The movement vocabulary is direct without unnecessary adjectives. The phrases are poetic and often delicate. One of my favourite sections was the duet during which Lucy Westenra is receiving a blood transfusion. The rapport, emotion and conflict pull together in a tight package that is memorable for its quality on every level.
The actual story being told is well edited. Godden has defined the important elements and refused to be distracted by unimportant details and asides which so often happens in ballets both classical and contemporary.
The significance of this ballet goes beyond the quality of the work. It is the right subject matter at the right time in terms of appealing to a wide audience. Today’s audience is facing the same basic questions that were expressed by Stoker, Shelley and Byron a hundred years ago.
Our science and superstitions still collide on occasion. We are still pondering all the aspects of “life”. We still face the moral questions presented by invention and progress and while the boundaries between good and evil, the acceptable and unacceptable have slightly faded, we are still intrigued by the forbidden and evil. The conflict goes on. The work is contemporary which is a major element in its longevity.
Not to be overlooked is the remarkable performance by the dancers, who so clearly defined mood, roles and relationships through their creation of character. Our thanks to Mark Godden for providing a ballet which has characters which allow dancers to get into them and bring them to a believable life.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet repeats its performance of Dracula this evening. This is an excellent and memorable production. I’ll be there again.
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