Theatre Review: English National Ballet – Akram Khan’s Giselle, Bristol Hippodrome

Summary

Rating: ★★★★

Running Dates: 26th October 2023 – 28th October 2023

Where to see it: Bristol Hippodrome

Duration: 2 hours (including interval)

Keywords: Ballet, Drama, Romance, Suspense

Review

Giselle reimagined by Akram Khan returns to thrill audiences after the last UK tour in 2016 and sell out shows in both New York and Paris in 2022. The original ballet, which premiered in 1841 is touted as one of the greatest romantic ballets of its time and the reimagination of this classic manages to take it to a whole new level. While the base plot line of Giselle remains, the same there are plot differences to be spotted and the delivery overall is completely different.

Having only seen one ballet almost a decade ago, I was unsure what to expect going into it but spent the entire two hours captivated and being taken on an emotional rollercoaster. The first of the two acts opens with gravitas as the curtain lifts and the dancers are seen pushing against a dark foreboding wall. Tim Yip does an incredible job with the visual design as the wall, as simple as it seems, ends up being a spectacular piece of set design, aiding in keeping the atmosphere of Giselle throughout the show as it transforms in various ways.

In the first act we are introduced to the Outcasts, a community of migrant factory workers who after losing their jobs are separated by a wall keeping them from hopes of security and where they are now reduced to mere entertainment for the wealthy factory landlords. Part of the Outcasts are Giselle and Hilarion, the latter of whom is supposed to act as a ‘fixer’ who cows down to the landlords for his own gain and is vying for the affection of Giselle. We are also introduced to Albrecht, a wealthy man who disguises himself as one of the Outcasts to be with his lover Giselle. Casting line up tends to change with each show but Fernanda Oliveira and Aitor Arrieta who played Giselle and Albrecht for this showing do a beautifully showcase the emotions and the love that is meant to be felt by their characters. The love, grief and pain they experienced was one they managed to convey to the audience expertly making you feel all the emotions along with them. Even the battle between Albrecht and Hilarion (Victor Prigent) is a masterful showcase of not only their technical ability but conveyance of the possessiveness and emotions one usually feels in these situations.

The love story is abruptly disrupted by a reveal of the landlords and without giving too much away this the turning point of what seemed like a simple love triangle into a complex story with more darkness to it. One of the key highlights in this act would easily be the moment where the dancers manage to create what essentially looks like a moving sea in which someone is drowning in.

This base setting of the factory differs from the original ballet which is set in the German Rhineland during grape harvest time with a peasant community. This difference is what takes it into a more modern territory while making it more relatable to the struggle we see in the world today. Not everyone is aware of what grape harvest living is like but most of us are in tune with the awful conditions of sweatshops and those that profit off it with ease.

Although it was hard to tell the exact plot of migrant factory workers or even their relation to the landlords while watching the first act, the class divide was something that was clear to see. The second act opens with a much darker atmosphere. The lighting design by Mark Henderson in this act along with Vincenzo Lamagna’s composition and the live orchestra conducted by Gavin Sutherland plays such a pivotal role in creating the environment throughout but more so in this act. The moment the curtain lifts again and the music starts one is immediately clued into the fact that this act is meant to be spookier in line with the setting, the ghost factory of the Wilis, revengeful ghosts of factory workers.

In this act, we mainly see the interaction of Isabelle Brouwers dancing as Myrtha, the queen of the Wilis, along with Giselle and Albrecht. Isabelle Brouwers dances with such grace and yet manages to convey the anger and fury felt by the ghosts of the factory. Most of this act has the cast dancing en pointe which is itself is impressive but more so when you consider how difficult the task of conveying harsh revengeful anger is when dancing en pointe the entire time. The contrast of the delicate movement with the stronger story line of the second act is such a beautiful moment to watch.

The entire ballet was filled with metaphors and amazing moments that left you thinking even after it ended that it is of no surprise that it ended with a standing ovation from the audience. It would have been nicer if the storyline was clearer for the novices but even without reading the programme ahead or knowing much about it, Akram Khan’s Giselle is still a beautiful, breath-taking and complex reimagination of the classic. Whether you are a first-time ballet viewer or a seasoned hand, my recommendation would be to go catch it while you can.

Standout Moment: The transforming wall and the ‘drowning sea of dancers’

See if: You enjoy ballets or shows with deep metaphors that will have you thinking after

Last Impression: Excited to watch Akram Khan’s next masterpiece

Written by Annabel Leo