Radiohead does ballet

11/10/2008 by stupidgirl_no1.

Last night I went to see the Scottish Ballet Autumn Season 2008 production.  It included 3 different pieces: one to Radiohead music, one to sounds of trains and bees, and one to 1930s music such as Pennies from Heaven.  I don’t think you could get more different pieces but put together they made quite a breathtaking evening.

Ride the beast was to Radiohead music and was a beautiful and perfectly choreographed piece.  I was just in awe of the way they could control their bodies and work together, never missing a beat or banging into each other at all.  You also have to question how anyone could hear Radiohead and think  - ballet!!   Whenever I’ve seen them in concert its more - beer!  Or - gosh what a lot of sweaty men.  Hmmm, there is a similarity after all!!  It was very modern ballet, my favourite bit being to the song Creep where a guy comes in as the creap and wants to be one of the beautiful people.  I do like lyrics I can understand.

I think this was my problem with the second piece, I wasn’t sure what was going on or what it was supposed to portray and I felt stupid for being that way.  It was called For MG: The Movie and was writen in the 70s, I knew that before it started but it was to a soundtrack of trains and bees and all the dancers were in outfits that made them look naked.  There was a lot of running about and moving slow - 1 man just stood there till the end.  Was certainly intreguing and made you think - and sit in awe of the self control over the dancers bodies again.

Finally we came to Pennies from Heaven, set in a bar in the 1930s with all the ladies in pretty dresses and all the men in suits.  This was more traditional dancing with the ladies finally wearing ballet shoes and going on points.  All the songs were ones you recognised and all the movements were just gorgeous.  With the occassional funny touch added for good flavour.  It was just magical and you hoped it wouldn’t end.

Asked at the end which piece I liked best I struggled to answer.  I knew it wasn’t the strange naked middle piece, I don’t like feeling stupid and out of the secret of what is going on.  I would have loved to answer Radiohead without hesitation as it was awesome, but at the end of the day I love pretty dresses and couples dancing easily so it would probably have to go to Pennies from Heaven.  Might need to see the Radiohead one again just to make sure though.. 

Roll on January when Scottish Ballet will be back with Sleeping Beauty!

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