The radical choreographer takes a restrained approach with his deeply biographical work.
Jérôme Bel, from the choreographer Jérôme Bel, is a work of ‘autobiochoreograpy’, where the choreographer discusses at length the genesis of his catalogue of works. Bel is noted for his radical and unfrilly approach to dance. He frequently utilises non-dancers, speech, and a matter-of-fact approach to dance. No spectacle, no entertainment, just bodies in space.
For ecological reasons he doesn’t fly for his work — why he decided not to take the Eurostar is not touched on — and prefers to stage pieces virtually. The set is simple and contributed by the theatres in which the work is performed. A local actor reads out the dialogue in the local language, and controls the lighting and projections from a modest setup on a desk. Terry O’Connor inhabits the role of the choreographer for its short run at The Place. Jérôme Bel, through his conduit, lets us know that, owing to the perfomance’s two-hour run time, we are free to leave if we wish. We are forewarned that tonight will have “no theatrical twists, no resolution in the end”. A few do leave, but the rest of us settle in for the evening, ready for the unraveling biography.
It’s a nifty piece of mixed media theatre; part anthropological lecture, part archival screening, part blow-by-blow account from Bel’s diary. O’Connor, as Bel, reads through the creative process of the radical and bold works that would mark Bel’s career, playing snippets from his archive. The documentary-style retrospective is, at first, dry in its delivery, and very detached. However, as we hear more about Bel’s innovations and discoveries, his failures and dead-ends, we become more engaged — the exposition can be very illuminating. For example, while discussing his creation Véronique Doisneau, a piece wherein the titular ballerina from the corps de ballet of the Paris Opera Ballet speaks about her career highlights and lowlights on stage, we hear how Bel wished to enact a mini Marxist rebellion of sorts at the Palais Garnier. When watching the footage we see what he means, Doisneau trudges through mundane choreography for the ensemble, stuck within a hierarchical system. He always seems to have exacting political and philosophical attitudes in relation to his work, very French.
This exacting approach is compelling, but does occasionally veer into over-philosophising. We are privy to all of Bel’s uncertainties, his humming and hawing, his endeavour to be as precise as possible in his work. There is a disconnect, at times, between the grand ideas and the radically simple works of theatre he created. There is also a sense of frustration too. We are repeatedly told of Bel’s fascination with the magic of theatre and its humanising power, but we never truly get to experience it in Jérôme Bel. We watch video after video of works that seem like a lot of fun, but the lack of physical bodies in the space can become sterile. Where the work really resonates is in Bel’s human moments, read in O’Connor’s soothing tones, about relationships, fatherhood, inspiration. If only this lecture came with in-person demonstrations.