Office use only.

THEATRE REVIEW SHEET

2016/17
DANCE

Please fill in the sheet below after your theatre

visit.

NAME Sam Wearing

Year One

Anastasia

Royal Opera House

8 November 2016 (to be completed on computer, printed off and

returned to the main office in a plastic sleeve no later than Friday 25
November 2016)

Please answer the following questions in full, qualifying

your comments and opinions.

1. HOW WOULD YOU RATE THIS PERFORMANCE?

EXCELLENT YES
ABOVE
AVERAGE
AVERAGE
POOR
 2. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF
THE PRODUCTION, INCLUDING SCENERY, LIGHTING
&/OR COSTUME?

Overall I thought the technical side of the production was excellent. I felt all of the
decisions made by the creative team had been entirely justified and everything worked
together perfectly to compliment the performance. The style of the show was very
consistent & I especially loved the abstract elements that were brought into the set
design elements such as the chandeliers swinging sideways. I felt like these really
enhanced the storyline of the show to remind the audience of the journey that the
character Anastasia had been on and that some of the memories would have been very
abstract and blurry. I really appreciated the effort that had gone into designing the set
as each act was so unique in the settings used, they really helped portray the storyline.

The contrast between Acts 1 and 2 to Act 3 was especially effective. With the use of a
box type set, and just a hospital bed I found this truly visually pleasing to watch as it
made me focus more on the movements rather than any other set design elements so I
felt this really did help make Act 3 very impactful.

On the costume side of things, these were exquisite. They were all used in the correct
way to effectively communicate the required elements to the audience to ensure the
story was kept clear throughout. Stand out costumes for me were the soldiers
costumes, that had such detail within them, and the simplicity of
Anderson/Anastacia's dress in act 3. The colour of the dress matched the box set used,
which was visually a bit confusing at times as she blended into the set, but this
enhanced the effect of the warped reality style of act 3 especially.

3. GIVE YOUR OPINION OF THE CHOREOGRAPHY.

The choreography was stunning. I really admire the thought and effort that had been
put into it, and it did truly beat my expectations, which I have to say were very high
for my first ever visit to the ballet.

I felt the use of quirky movements within the choreography was effective in allowing
the audience to get lots of understanding of each character. The fact that Anastasia
entered the stage on roller skates was especially creative as it allowed the youthful and
playful side of her to be communicated effectively.One particular stand-out moment
choreographically for me was the formations of the soldiers. From sitting high up, it
was easy to see the exact precision of each line, and along with the perfect lines of
their arms, this created a very effective and memorable moment to watch on stage.

I felt the choreography in Act 3 stood out in particular purely because it allowed so
much expression to come through which contributed to the storyline so effectively.
There was meaning and intention behind every step performed on that stage, and this
ensured that Macmillan's original work was respected and brought to life in this
stunning production.
 4. DID THE PERFORMANCE INCLUDE LIVE MUSIC?
WAS THE CHOREEOGRAPHY APPROPRIATE FOR THE
MUSIC?

Yes, live music was included in the performance. Tchaikovsky music in the first 2
acts, Symphony No.1 and Symphony No 2. This accompaniment really enhanced the
performance and I felt it was always appropriate to what was happening on stage.

The 3rd Act used Martinu's symphony No.6 and some untitled electronic music
created by Fritz Winckel and Rudiger Rufer. The varying styles and the contrast in the
music in Act 3 enhanced the effectiveness of the choreography as it made it more
Stand Alone and memorable. I felt the choice of electronic music was a deal maker
for the show as it complimented Macmillans choreography.

5. WERE THERE ANY OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL OR

ENSEMBLE
PERFORMANCES?

Stand Out ensemble has to be the group of soldiers in Act 2. Also the duet in the ball
scene that was performed by Mathilde Kschessinka and her partner stood out. Her
techinqiue was flawless and I found it very inspiring to watch , reminding me the
importance of good dance technique.

6. WHAT DID YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOY ABOUT THIS

PERFORMANCE?
One thing that really stood out to me during the performance was the true team effort
and ensemble work that every single member of the company contributed. I felt each
person made an effort to portray an individual story which ultimately led to a very
successful portrayal of a intriguing story with a very interesting past.