Rambert

Dutiful Duck. photo: Renaud Wiser

You'd be forgiven for assuming The Royal Ballet must be Britain’s oldest dance company but actually the title goes to Rambert. Established in 1926 – five years before its classical cousin – by polish-born Marie Rambert, the company has gone from strength to strength ever since and is critically acclaimed both in the UK and overseas.

The company’s current repertoire includes eight works, four of which were performed in Nottingham to a packed Theatre Royal.

First up: The Castaways. This piece was created by Los Angeles-born choreographer Barak Marshall and includes not only dance but spoken word. Twelve dancers, each with self-destructive personality traits are trapped in what looks like an underground warehouse. Their arrival appears to have been via an out-of-reach garbage pipe suspended in mid-air. This is also their only escape.

Tensions rose and fell between characters; moments of humour were punctuated by moments of pure cruelty. The music shifted from American jazz one minute to Yiddish pop the next, with dancers performing routines akin to those of whirling dervishes. ­­Overlong and a confusing mix of acting and movement, this piece didn’t really do it for me. The dancing, as ever, was accomplished it just didn’t pull me in.

Following an interval, Dutiful Ducks, choreographed by Richard Alston – Rambert’s artistic director from 1986-1992 – was just a few minutes long. A solo performed with strength and poise by Adam Blyde, it was short and, without sound, would have been sweet. However, the score was made up of ‘text-sound’ – an American male voice speaking in tongues repeating the phrase “dutiful ducks” over and over. It’s an interesting experiment, but not a work I’d want to see again.

Rooster. photo: Jane Hobson

Sounddance was performed by ten dancers, all dressed in white leggings and mustard yellow tops, who burst one by one from curtains of the same mustard yellow at the back of the stage. Once again, for me, the score let this piece down. My companion actually described it as an ‘assault’ on her ears and I had to agree with her. Pops, bangs, clicks and whirring completely distracted me from what was happening on stage. Billed as a piece representing the birth of the universe, I was vaguely aware of the dancers twisting, turning and gradually increasing in number to represent the dividing of cells. This surely could have been far more beautiful if only the music were more ethereal, allowing the opportunity to really enjoy the movement.

Finally, after a second interval, the main piece of the evening began. Rooster, choreographed to music by the Rolling Stones is critically acclaimed. The image on the front of the programme – a single dancer, mid groove, sharply dressed and on a red background – is from Rooster. It suggests something amazing is going to happen: a festival of rock and roll with loud music, fast, impressive dancing and bright lights. What actually happened felt half-hearted in comparison to the marketing material. The men strutted and the women gave their all but costumed mainly in black and on a dimly lit stage, even the music fell flat against the gloomy background.

Despite enthusiastic applause following each performance, deserved for the skill, strength and gusto shown by the dancers, this was a disappointing visit by Rambert. The mixed bill felt self-indulgent and I couldn’t help but think that the company needs to work harder to make dance more accessible to new audiences.

Rambert Dance Company performed at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, on Tuesday 21 October 2014.

Rambert Dance Company website