As always with Jehan Aloysius, one gets a gut feeling for what is in store in the way the entrance is set for his theatrical performances. By this I mean that even the uninitiated got a hint of the ambience when an enthusiastic aide offered to sell us not just a programme but also a colourful feathered mask – and with that we prepared to enter the magical world of An Inspired Swan Lake.
This highly entertaining, non-traditional interpretation of a classic glided smoothly on to the Lionel Wendt stage with some unique touches where tradition was subverted with the unexpected, and preconceptions were exploded. The rousing music was intact but pointe shoes had been done away with and the choreography was grounded on earthy movements emphasizing the re-discovering of the human body in all its strength and beauty.
The curtain opened to a sky tinged with gold and a sparkling lake created by yards of silver-blue silk and clever lighting, bringing to life a scene which had more atmosphere than most anything this side of a Claude Monet. The sets and costumes were magical. Add to this was the hauntingly beautiful music score of Tchaikovsky and one was truly transported to another time and place.
The action did not centre on the traditional Odile/Odette but focused on the young, handsome Nicholas swimming alone, being observed by a powerful Sorceress who is immediately infatuated with him. Nicholas, however, is in love with the beautiful Gabrielle, who in turn is passionately pursued by Troy, who Gabrielle’s best friend Jessica quite fancies!
n by day. But love conquers all - and after a complicated scene where Troy’s best friend Jack accidentally kills Gabrielle instead of Nicholas, the white swans gang up against the Sorceress and her black swans until they succeed in miraculously bringing Gabrielle back to life. The lovers are finally reunited as good triumphs over evil.
While many choreographers have had a go at re-working Swan Lake, few have been as successful as Jehan Aloysius who runs his own theatre troupe, CentreStage Productions. Working in conjunction with a group of hearing-impaired performers from the Sunera Foundation as well as disabled soldiers from the Ranaviru Sevana, even the purists could not have failed to be moved by this performance where all the dancers seemed so natural in the context of the show, the plot readily interpreted as universal themes of limitations and desires.
The performers’ disabilities were hardly noticed as we were transported to a world of ‘Body Narratives’ - an expression of dance which included appendages of crutches and wheelchairs to enhance and complete the creative performance. Neither the dancers nor the audience were inhibited by the choreography which revelled in colour, splendour, tears, laughter and ultimately a great feeling of joy.
Joy because good triumphs over evil. Joy because right there, in front of our eyes, these talented dancers demonstrated their triumph over their disabilities. It created a true picture of optimism and courage, endurance and victory.
Particular mention must be made of the beautiful Jessica (Sumudhu Yashodara) who was charmingly effervescent as the wannabe girlfriend who doesn’t fit in. She pulled at our heartstrings as she persistently danced towards the unattainable love of her life. Hats off to those who recognized her talent and pushed her to get there.
The young soldiers were delightful, to say the least. Their buoyant body movements and animated facial expression ably portrayed the characters they were playing. We laughed and we cried with them through their physical monologues and dialogues. The angelic looking Nicholas (Thusitha Wimalasuriya) stole the show with his ethereal grace, agility and sensitivity.
Gabrielle (Evangeline De Silva) was a joy to behold as she weaved delicately amongst all the dancers, ably assisted by the masterful Troy (Sajad Shabdeen) whose leaps and pirouettes captivated the audience. His friends (Shevanka Fernando and Heshan Perera) played their roles convincingly.
The Sorceress (Anabella Brochard) delivered a memorable dramatic performance, a charming combination of grace and strength , and the passionate Jack (Sumith Karunaratna) and the mystical Water Spirit (Roshalie Fernando) excelled in their ability to create dramatic and abstract images and movements, individually as well as in groups, through their physical interplay.
The ensemble which consisted of talented dancers both differently-abled and otherwise, fused together well. Creating new forms of non-traditional dance and reinventing a classic ballet must have been a monumental task but they did it – all of them. The production was of high quality– the costumes and props were striking while the lighting and music delivered suitably changing moods and effects.
The very talented Mr Aloysius deserved the deafening ovation he received for this inspiring production which will, hopefully, help spread the message of hope and courage at this significant point of our country’s history.
Did I miss the traditional swans in their pert white tutus? There may have been an odd nostalgic moment when I yearned for a straight line of drilled corps de ballet. But on the whole I was dazzled with this evening of fairytale charm. |
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