Dream Play National Theatre January 2005

Directed by Katie Mitchell Choreography by Kate Flatt For this production I taught the actors ballet, devising short sequences of vocabulary which we could both believe in and would be convincing when danced by the whole cast. I also taught waltzing to the cast in the style of 1950's ballroom competition. The cast included Mark Ahrens, Anastasia Hille, Kristin Hutchinson, Sean Jackson, Dominic Rowan, Justin Sallinger, Charlotte Roach, Susie Trayling, Lucy Whybrow and Angus Wright. We also looked at the Bolshoi dancing 'Giselle' for ensemble material which fitted the world of Strindberg's play and the actors did the famous corps de ballet entrance with veiled 'willis'. Three of the cast also ventured to dance en pointe. At one point three businessmen were particularly intriguing dancing across on a diagonal with grand jete's, holding brief cases wearing trilby's and tutus. The performances were an enigma of quick changes, dreamlike shifts in action and drawn from an amazingly collaborative and creative process engineered by Katie. It was cruel, funny, full of feeling with immensely beautiful images. The actors performed the waltzing and ballet sequences with attention to detail and commitment which impressed me and the audiences.There was no hint of high camp. I devised a 'warm up' which the actors did before every performance in order to maintain the quality they had achieved by opening night. This was essential as the work played in repertoire over a few months. Katie Mitchell mentions this work in her book The Director's Craft published by Routledge.

Here I am teaching ballet and waltzing to the actors. Photos by Stephen Cummiskey

 

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A Choreographic Chronology

Puppies on a shelf. Bridge Farm, Badingham, Suffolk Aged 3. Puppies were arranged on the shelf in the hen house. Puppies of Brownie our springer spaniel. Parents summoned by the yelping.

Garden Dance Show  Garden lawn 11a Serpentine rd, Birmingham  Aged 9. Solos and duets from friends' dances for shows etc. re-arranged by myself.

Transitions: Music Bartok: 4th movement Concerto for Orchestra 1966. Harlow Technical College Theatre, Harlow Ballet Club 2 male, 3 female dancers

1967-70 Royal Ballet School studied dance composition with Leonide Massine; European Traditional dances with Joan Lawson; ballet technique with Valerie Adams, Julia Farron, Barbara Fewster and Ninette de Valois.

Lute of Jade Music: Albert Roussel 1969   Harlow Technical College Theatre, and LAMDA Theatre. Dancers from Harlow Ballet Club. Inspired by a groups of small Tang dynasty figures in Rietberg Museum, Zurich

Between 1967 and 1970. I have forgotten the details but four pieces were made with Dancers from Harlow Ballet Club at Harlow Technical College Theatre. Included Mosaics to music by Guy Ropartz, a piece inspired by Toer van Schayk's Monument for a Dead Boy another with several ideas in one dance with a stuck choreographer, a piece with students from Royal Ballet School to Ravel music.

Eve: Short study based on Rodin's sculpture fromone of Massine's classes. Solo for myself in silence. 1970 Bloomsbury Theatre Royal Ballet Choreographic Group. Asked by Leslie Edwards

Death of the Sun Father Music Ravel Piano Trio 1970    Cologne Choreographic competition. Adjudicated by Glen Tetley, Anthony Tudor and others. Harlow Ballet Club Danced by Leo Kersley and his students.

1970 Churchill Fellowship. Travel to Essen, Warsaw, Moscow and Stockholm studying with Pina Bausch, Hans Zullig, Donya Feuer; taking classes etc in many places.

Etude Après Rodin Music: Messaien prelude. Duet based on the idea of sculptor shaping a figure. 1971 Bloomsbury Theatre. Royal Ballet Choreographic Group Dancers: Julie Lincoln, Garry Grant.

Danses Sacres, Danses Profanes Music: Debussy 1971 Sadlers Wells.Association of Ballet Clubs performance.    Harlow Ballet Club. For group of 10 girls

Pursual Music: Bartok String quartet 1972 Bloomsbury Theatre. Theme of dissident with Festival Ballet Dancers for their Choreographic Evening

Worked as assistant to Leonide Massine 1971-73 on the revivals of Beau Danube (1971) for English National Ballet (Festival Ballet) and Joffrey Ballet (1972), followed by Mamzelle Angot for Australian Ballet (1972).

Makemono Music Trad. Japanese Shamisen.Inspired by Japanese woodcuts and Kurosawa. 1973 Bloomsbury Theatre. Choreographic Evening. Festival Ballet Dancers with Judith Rowan

1973-76 Studied with Nina Fonaroff at London School of Contemporary Dance

Sacred Space Music: in silence 1974 Holland Park Open Air. LSCD students.

Jack and Jill and Jack's Mother Music: Scarlatti 1975 Place Theatre LSCD students Craig Givens, Rebecca Rifkin, Lydia Azzopardi

1975 Attended the International Choreographic Summer School directed by Glen Tetley; worked with improvisation and composers. Took class with Mary Hinkson.

Wall Music: by Nicholas Hooper played live. 1975 Bloomsbury Theatre
Developed through improvisation; used the back wall of the theatre. Festival Ballet Choreographic Evening and then at The Place 4th Year workshop.Dancers: LSCD students: Tim Lamford, Julyen Hamilton, Madée Dupres, Betsy Gregory, Craig Givens, Michal Israeli

Buses Music: Django Rheinhardt and Stephane Grappelli 1976 The Place Theatre
4th year workshop with LSCD students Tim Lamford, Julyen Hamilton, Zulay Camino, Ephrat, myself

By River and Wharf Site Specific work. Group dances in the street  1976.  Vignettes by several choreographers were performed in the streets around X6 Dance Space at Butler's Wharf    12 students from LSCD. Based on street games.

Late Collection Music: Composed by Nicholas Hooper. Played live 1976.  Performed in a converted warehouse called Beshara Design Centre, Rotherhithe. Also at The Place. A collaborative work made with Tim Lamford, Maedée Dupres, Betsy Gregory. Design by Charlie Paton

A Woman's Skill Music: Trad English.  1976    Drill Hall. With solos by Betsy Gregory, Jayne Lee.  For programme called Catalogue   ADMA Festival. Solo for myself using a patchwork quilt. Programme included another solo using two butter patting tools. A birthday present to Tim. 

Triumphal Song of the Reservoir Music: Chinese revolutionary son. 1976 Drill Hall    Duet danced by myself with Kate Gault

Rickshaw Solo for Ailsa Berk Music: perfomer wore two small bells at her waist  1977 Drill Hall and tour.  

Park Bench Music: Traditional hurdy gurdy 1977. The Place Theatre. RSA travel bursary competition entry.  Adjudicated by Frederick Ashton. Awarded £1000. Danced by Tim Lamford, Julyen Hamilton, Betsy Gregory and Jayne Lee.

Clash of the Titans Feature film 1978 Shepperton Studios. Solo danced by Finola Hughes for marriage scene.

Piece using Django Rheinhardt music, and resource of old photos of Rotterdam for Werk Zentrum Dans, Director Kathy Gottschalk, Rotterdam 1977.

Calling 1978 Riverside Studios Dance Umbrella and X6 Dance Space. Solo for Madée Dupres' solo show Dance and Slide.

1978-9 RSA/British Council Travel Scholarship to Eastern Europe (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary) to study traditional dance for 5 months with dance groups and in village context.

People Who Dance Music: Traditonal from Eastern Europe. Live with taped score for Absent Rain by Barrington Pleloung. Maedée Dupres also sang from the roof of the studios.    1979    Riverside Studios and S. Wales Technical college.    Arts Council Funded Full length work. Danced by Carolyn Anderson, Tim Lamford, Michelle Smith, Fergus Early, and myself.

Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky 1980 Cardiff  New Theatre and UK tour.  Welsh National Opera Dances for the chorus. Dir. Andrei Serbian, Des. Michael Yeargan, Conducted Mark Ermler. With Josephine Barstow, Thomas Allen, Anthony Rolfe Jonson and Cynthis Buchan. 

The Jacobin by Dvorak    1980 Cardiff New Theatre and UK tour    WNO

Umbrellas of Cherbourg Musical by Michel Legrand 1980  Apollo Theatre London
Ran for 3 weeks.    Production from NY. Dir. Andrei Serbian, Des. Michael Yeargan

Tim Lamford and I were married in May 1980 and Chloe Maria was born.

Tza 'if 1981 Extempory Dance Theatre Solo for Abigail ben Ari (DVD held by NSCD)

The Monkey of the Inkpot Music: Jeffrey Wilson, Text by Tim Lamford, design Ginny Humphreys. 1982 Liverpool Schools and national tour. Spiral Dance Company. Tim Lamford narrated with Steinvor Palsson, Caroline Roemmele, Nigel Warrack, Kate Mills and later Tam and Joy Constantinides as the magician.

Blue Angel by Jeremy Sams 1982 Liverpool Playhouse  Dances for a musical. Directed by Pip Broughton

Tea Dance Music Swedish Trad. violins 1982  Toured UK  Spiral Dance Company. Dancers : Tam, Caroline Roemmele, Steinvor Palsson, Joy Constantinides. Tam later Tim Lamford.

The Bartered Bride by Smetana    1983    Cardiff New Theatre and on GB tour    WNO. Chorus dances and Circus in Act III Dir. Rudolph Noelte, Cond Mark Ermler

Piece for Merseyside Youth Dance Music Trad. Irish     1983    Bluecoat Centre Liverpool    Merseyside youth dance girls group

The Merry Widow by Lehar    1984    Cardiff New Theatre and on UK tour    WNO Dir. Andrei Serban, Des Michael Yeargan, Cond. Ivan Fischer

Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky1984 Opera de Nancy France . Dances for the chorus
Revival of the WNO production.

Turandot by Puccini    1984    Royal Opera; Los Angeles, Olympic Arts Festival; Dorothy Chandler Pavillion then at Royal Opera House. Choreography for 10 masked dancers and Ping Pang and Pong. Dir Andrei Serban, Des Sally Jacobs, Cond Colin Davies  With Placido Domingo and Gwyneth Jones. (Production revived 22 times)

The Bartered Bride by Smetana    1984    Cologne Opera Revival    Chorus dances and Circus in Act III. Revival of the WNO production.

Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky    1985 Vancouver Opera Revival of the WNO production. Revival Taught by Ann Whitley. Dances for the chorus

Oliver born March 1985

Les Miserables August-October 1985,  Barbican London. Oct 8th 1985. Musical Staging and movement with ensemble and principals. Transferred to the Palace Theatre early 1986. The rest is history.

The Flying Dutchman by Wagner 1986 Royal Opera, Movement; Dir. Mike Ashman

Fidelio by Beethoven, 1986, Royal Opera.    Movement and staging of Leonora Overture. Dir Andrei Serban, Des Sally Jacobs, Cond. Colin Davies

Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky  1985 Seattle opera Revival. Taught by Ann Whitley

Festive Nights Music: Traditional Irish Ceilidh band arr. Paddy Cuneen    1986    Merseyside Tour with community element.   Full length dance work.  Dancers Adrian Galliano, Edgar Newman, Pauline (?), Joy Constantinides

Turandot by Puccini    1987    Royal Opera    Revival and TV transmission. Tour to Japan and Korea

September 1987 -1990 we lived in Barcelona where Tim was Professor Invitado at the Institute of Theatre and made several very beautiful works including The Exiles for the graduate students.

Hello Dolly Musical by Jerry Herman 1989 Karlstad/Saffle Theatre Sweden    Dir. Kate Flatt, Chor. Tim Lamford, Des Isabella Bywater, Lighting Chris Ellis

Moved back to England March 1990

William Tell by Rossini  1990 Royal Opera Choroegraphed dances for 16 dancers and 16 White Lodge children. Dir John Cox

Damnation de Faust by Berlioz  1990 Chatelet Theatre, Paris. Dances and Chorus staging. Dir. Yannis Kokkos

Viaggio a Rheims by Rossini    1991    Royal Opera
City of Culture Festival event    Choroegraphy for 8m, 4f dancers
Dir. John Cox. Des. Mark Thompson

Carmen by Bizet    1991    Orange Festival Open air Roman Arena    Dances, chorus staging. Carmen sung by Kathryn Harries. Dir. and Des.Yannis Kokkos

The Duenna by Roberto Gerhardt    1991 Opera North. Dances, chorus staging. Dir. H.Kaut-Howson. Dancers: Ramon Baeza, Joy Constantinides, Mark Ashman, Nicky Gibbs, Ana Pons, Jeff Rann.

Chaplin Feature Film Dir: Richard Attenborough    1992    Universal Studios. Filmed on location at Astey's Music Hall    Music Hall scene for Geraldine Chaplin and child Chaplin.

Les Miserables UK tour     1992    Palace Theatre Manchester, Dublin and Edinburgh    Musical staging and movement. Dir. Ken Caswell

William Tell by Rossini    1992    Royal Opera    Revival

Boris Goudenov by Mussorgsky  1992 Bastille Opera Paris Revival Dir and Des by Yannis Kokkos

Turandot Revival    1992    Wembley Arena Expanded ROH production.     Dancers from London Contemporary Dance Theatre - 22 dancers.

Aida by Verdi 1993 Royal Opera. DVD. Live TV relay to Japan   Choreography for  20 dancers. Dir. Elijah Moschinsky, Des. Michael Yeargan

Available on DVD

Tordenskiold Musical by Price brothers 1993 Gladsaxe Theatre, Copenhagen.  Musical Staging with Dir. Piv Bernth

Carmen 1993, Bastille Opera. Dir: Jose Louis Gomez Cond: Myung Wha Chung

Gloriana by Benjamin Britten    1993    Opera North Choreography for 7 dancers, principals children and chorus    Dances Act III and Masque Act II. Dir. Phyllida Lloyd

Tristan and Isolde    1994    Welsh and Scottish Opera    Movement. Dir and Des. Yannis Kokkos

Duenna by Roberto Gerhardt    1994    Opera North. Revival    Re-choreographed  as VHS recording from 1991 was stolen from Opera North.

Les Miserables Paris production    1994    Theatre Mogador    Musical staging and movement. Dir. John Caird

The Dancing Room Music: Muzsikas 1994  UK Tour, Riverside Studios Choreography for full length dance work co-devised with Sally Jacobs. Dance Umbrella   Arts Council funded project. 10 Dancers, 2 children and Muzsikas the Hungarian String band.

The Dancing Room Music by Muzsikas 1995 BBC 2 Transmission Shortlisted for IMZ award 1996. Choreography for 50 minute film of stage version. Dir. Simon Broughton.

Jan 1995-Feb 2007 Senior Lecturer at Middlesex University. Taught choreography on BA and MA courses. Made performance works on students each year.

May Night by Rimsky Korsakov    1995    Wexford Festival   
Movement and dances. Dir Stephen Metcalf, Cond Vladimir Jurowski also
Iris by Mascagni. Dir. Lorenzo Mariani. With dancer Joy Constantinides

Les Miserables UK tour     1995    Plymouth Theatre Royal plus UK tour  Musical staging and movement Dir. Matt Ryan

Ends of the Earth by David Lan  1996 Cottesloe, National Theatre   
Eastern European dances for actors. Dir. Andrei Serban

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams    1997    Watford Palace Theatre   
Dances for the play. Dir. David Lan Des Gideon Davey

Les Miserables Tokyo 10th Anniversary    1997 Toho Theatre co., Tokyo and national tour  Musical staging and movementDir. John Caird

Turandot    1998    ROH revival    

The Avengers Feature Film    1998    Pinewood Studios    Waltz created for Sean Connery and Uma Thurman

'Tis pity she's a Whore by John Ford 1999 Young Vic Movement direction Dir. David Lan. With Jude Law

The Carmelites by Poulenc    1999    English National Opera  
Dir Phyllida Lloyd, Cond. Paula Daniels

Albert Speer by David Edgar from Gitta Seeny's book. Lyttleton, National Theatre 1999 Movement direction. Dir: Trevor Nunn:  Roger Allam as Hitler, Alex ennings as Speer.

Gloriana Opera by Benjamin Britten    2000    Opera North, Prod Illumination Films. BBC2 2001 Emmy Award for Arts production. Dir. Phyllida Lloyd

(Available on DVD)

2000  to present devised and taught the choreographic course at Royal Ballet
Upper School.

Snapshots Music Elena Kats-Chernin  2000  Linbury Theatre   
A ballet created with Royal Ballet School Upper School students
  
Requiem by Verdi Sung in Latin. 2000 English National Opera. First ever staging of the Requiem sung live. Movement, staging.  Dir. Phyllida Lloyd Cond. Paul Daniels

The Carmelites    2001    ENO  Revival

Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe 2002 Young Vic  Dir David Lan. with Jude Law

Three Sisters by Chekov 2003 Lyttleton, National theatre Dances and movement. Dir. Katie Mitchell

Skellig Musical Play 2003 Young Vic Christmas Show    Dir. Trevor Nunn

The Skin of our Teeth by Thornton Wilder  2004 Young Vic  Dances for ensemble. Dir. David Lan

Hamlet Shakespeare    2004    Old Vic Theatre London Dumb show, movement. Dir. Trevor Nunn: Ben Whishaw as Hamlet, Imogen Stubbs as Gertrude.

Dream Play by Strindberg 2005 Cottesloe National Theatre. Ballet and waltz sequences with actors. Dir. Katie Mitchell

Betrothal in a Monastery by Prokoviev    2006    Glyndebourne Opera
Dancers, chorus, singers, children. Dir. Daniel Slater, Cond. Vladimir Jurowski

Peter Grimes  Opera by Benjamin Britten    2006    Opera North Leeds, UK tour and Sadlers Wells Theatre London. South Bank Award. Chorus Movement Dir. Phyllida Lloyd, Des. Anthony Ward, L. Paule Constable

Les Miserables  Revival    2006    Broadhurst Theatre, New York   Movement consultant on the original. Dir. John Caird

Fiddler on the Roof Musical    2006    Sheffield Crucible Dances and staging. Dir. Lyndsay Posner. With Henry Goodman

Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams    2007    Olivier National Theatre   
Dir. Stephen Pimlott (died Feb 2007) then Nicholas Hytner

Les Miserables 20th Anniversary 2007 Tokyo and national tour   Dir. John Caird

Fiddler on the Roof    2007    Savoy Theatre For WE transfer Jerome Robbins choreographic copyright asserted. Staging of the Dream sequence, dance with Fiddler and Tevye. Dual billing with Jerome Robbins Dir. Lyndsay Posner.

Carmen by Bizet    2007    English National Opera Dances and chorus staging.   
Dir. Sally Potter Also Chor. Pablo Veron

Poppies Music: Grieg Tone poems  2007 Oxford Playhouse and South Bank Centre 
Dance solo with dancer Natalia Thorn. Based on Plath poems

Betrothal in a Monastery by Prokoviev 2008 Opera Valencia. In the Calatrava building of Palau des Arts    Revival with changes. Dir. Daniel Slater, Cond. Dimtri Jurowski

Cunning Little Vixen by Janacek    2008    Britten Theatre  Royal College of Music Chorus of students with Korean dancer Naree Kim. Dances for Dragonfly and chorus movement. Dir Jo Davies, Design Chloe Lamford

Soul Play 2008    Colchester Mercury, Trestle St. Albans  A dance theatre work    
Dir. and Chor KF, Script: Anna Reynolds, Des. Chloe Lamford, L. Anna Watson

Turandot    2009    Royal Opera    Revival

Turandot    May 2009    Washington National Opera. Revival at Kennedy Center Last performance conducted by Placido Domingo.

Sound Journey with Adriano Adewale  percussionist. April 2009  and Edinburgh Festival. Direction and movement of music performance.

Lullaby Burn by Simon Stephens    July 2009    Lyric Hammersmith
Workshop with Saskia Reeves and Viviana Durante. Dir Max Key

Hamlet Nov 2009    Theatre in Hanghwa, Seoul, STT Company    Dir. Yun-TaekLee
Dances and movement direction drawn from workshops

Pains of Youth    Nov 2009    Cottesloe National Theatre    Dir by Katie Mitchell
Dances and movement training

Kreutzer Sonata    Nov 2009    Gate Theatre London  Movement sequences for musician/actors. Dircector Natalie Abrahami.

Merchant of Venice Dec 2009  Myeondong Theatre Dir. Yun-Taek LeeDances and movement direction drawn form workshops for company of actors. Staged a masquerade scene.

Soul Play 2010 Watford Palace Theatre, Colchester Mercury, The Place Theatre; Miryang Theatre Festival, South Korea A dance theatre work with actor Sam Curtis and dancer Joy Constantinides
Dir. and Chor KF, Script: Anna Reynolds, Des. Chloe Lamford, L. Anna Watson

 

Songs from a Hotel Bedroom 2010 Music by Kurt Weill arranged by James Holmes, Scenario Kate Flatt and Peter Rowe, Design Chloe Lamford, Lighting Anna Watson, Produced by SEGUE, Watford palace Theatre, Ipswich New Wolsey and co-commissioned by ROH 2. Musical theatre production with Frances Ruffelle, Nigel Richards; tango dancers Amir Giles and Tara Pilbrow and onstage band.