A satisfying celebration of creative aging, this mixed bill performance cherishes artistry in its purest form.
Sadler’s Wells’ Elixir Festival kicked off with a fine collection of works in Wednesday’s Mixed Bill. Featuring a collaborative piece by Germaine Acogny and Malou Airaudo, a solo by Louise Lecavalier, and a devised work by Ben Duke and the Company. A satisfying celebration of creative aging, this mixed bill performance cherishes artistry in its purest form.
Common ground[s], choreographed and performed by Germaine Acogny and Malou Airaudo, opened the evening with a picturesque performance. An elegant piece, it emphasized the effectiveness of simplicity and well-designed shapes in movement-based storytelling. While clearly created with a distinct story in mind, the plot was muddled and difficult to understand from an audience perspective. Dialogue used in the middle of the piece seemed to indicate a story of personal history and friendship but it was difficult to hear and would have been well served by microphones or better projection. Where common ground[s] excelled was in how clearly the dancers loved the work and each other; Acogny and Airaudo’s love of their work translated into a beautiful story that you could not help but smile at. Overall it was a lovely, if somewhat bland, work which left the audience with an overwhelming sense of calm.
Louise Lecavalier’s Minutes around late afternoon was the strangest of the evening. Reminiscent of a loosely choreographed rave, it was a somewhat spastic performance that fell flat despite the vigor and enthusiasm with which it was performed. Nonetheless, there were a few memorable phrases sporadically throughout and Lecavalier must be applauded for the impressive level of athleticism and control she displayed.
The evening came to a close with Ben Duke’s White Hare, a work of sheer brilliance. Dancers Christopher Akrill and Valentina Formenti masterfully brought this comically beautiful apocalyptic tale to life. More akin to a one-act play, Duke’s work explored a possible end to humanity in a time-warping story of one couple’s final years. It is a hilarious piece of absurdity, interjected with genuine human emotion and exceptional choreography. It is difficult to fully express the excellence and originality of this work. Akrill and Formenti are both performers of the highest calibre with faultless chemistry that manifested in a powerful and passionate performance.
Each work of this Mixed Bill was accompanied by powerful music perfectly suited to each creation. The set and lighting design set the tone for each piece. The single rectangular light used for Minute in the late afternoon and the projections of Tipple the Tortoise in White Hare were particularly enjoyable. Commendably, both common ground[s] and White Hare were accompanied by a BSL interpreter who was just as committed to the performance as the dancers on stage. Sadler Well’s Elixir Festival is not to be missed this spring. It is a story of creative aging which gives hope to young dancers for their longevity. The works of Germaine Acogny and Malou Airaudo, Louise Lecavalier, and Ben Duke come together in this Mixed Bill as a memorable celebration of life and originality.