Autumn Season

Press, 27 May 1985, Page 8

Autumn Season

Autumn Season, presented by the Southern Ballet at the Southern Ballet Theatre, May 5 to June 1. 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. Running time: 2Vi hours. Reviewed by Heather Campbell. The programme choreographic notes said, “This gem of a one-act ballet has no story.” Gem is the operative word in describing the Southern Ballet, a jewel of a company, regional in status, but national in calibre.

“Autumn Season” presents four outstandingly good ballets each worthy of further viewing, the quality of which is immediately apparent with the first ballet, “Pas de Quatre.” The aim of this romantic work, first produced in 1845, was to bring together on stage four of the greatest ballerinas of the era.

The glamour and inspiration of Taglioni and her fellow dancers is not lost upon the four Southern Ballet principals — Liza Brereton, Jane Adamson, Julie Gare, and Judith Froude — who in gossamer-light dresses dance with steps to match, while portraying a sharp-edged rivalry. Jane Adamson, a young dancer showing promise and attracting interest, gave a gentle presence and confident technique to her role of Taglioni. As Grahn, Judith Froude shows a liquid breadth of movement to her port de bras while performing sharp

and sustained beats. An adagic passage by Julie Gare and Judith Froude attracts and awes as they hold attitudes and promenades with apparent ease. It is, however, Liza Brereton who shines in this ballet. She epitomises the romantic dancer; the manner in which she uses the upper body allied to smooth, brisk footwork shows an inherent instinct for this style of dancing. The result exhilarated.

“Hymn to the Sun,” a contemporary work choreographed to the music of Rimsky-Korsakov, is easy, fluid and demanding. A change of mood occurs with the dancing of Sally Rentoul and Antoinette Brocherie in “Wake Up in the Morning.” These two children give a spontaneous and sleek performance which enchants the audience.

In “Printemps,” to the music of Debussy, Julie Gare and Judith Froude show an affinity to dance in the contemporary idiom. With linear grace they contrive emphatic poses and contractions, all with a refined understatement, a hallmark of Russell Kerr’s choreography. The final part of this ballet, “Time is, Time was . . .” is stunning in its optical impact and choreographically electrifying. The anguish and torment of the dancers intensify in their struggle and conflict. Again

Liza Brereton has exploited her versatility to impress in a contemporary work, choreographicaally satisfying and refreshingly comprehensible.

A new and successful work in the Southern repertoire is “The Dove,” choreographed by David Peake. This stylised ballet offers Julie Gare the chance to meet the demands of the choreographer with classical assurance. In her pas de deux there are lots of lifts, deep arabesques, and intri-

cate variations, executed with a security that belies her short time as a principal. With Julie Gare a simple rond de jambe is an event.

In keeping with the beauty of this work, costumes are simple, elegant, and effective.

“Stolen Reflection,” a tale of Hoffman to the music of Verdi, is exotic, exciting and seductive. As Giulietta, Judith Froude with the aplombe of a courtesan seduces Hoffman (David Peake) to a point where he is demented and deluded.

Judith Froude brings to her performance a new pace and maturity that dazzles, a quality hitherto not seen in her dancing. The ensemble dancing was consistently impressive, presenting some beautiful images in both dance and the costume design of Peter Lees Jeffe ri es.