Rambert Dance Company (Tour – Salford)

Rambert returns to the Lowry under Mark Baldwin (Artistic Director) focusing on the theme of nature as part of the Charles Darwin year of celebrations. On this tour this innovative dance company present three distinct pieces designed to stimulate the senses and present a visual feast for the audience.

The Carnival of Animals presents a link between animals, human and music with the dancers cleverly twisting and turning into recognisable creatures with very few props demonstrating great musicality and engaging the audience in stylish, realistic interpretations of monkeys and birds amongst others. By creating beautiful lines and intricate contortions, the audience is left upbeat and enthralled.

The Comedy of Change is a less engaging piece, which contains solos, duets and group work that reflects many of the key elements of life, dark, and light, male and female, again tying in with the Darwin theme as one cannot exist without the other. 

Although good to watch from a technical point of view, after the upbeat and amusing Carnival of Animals, this piece feels a little heavy and drawn out. Although there are elements which make the audience gasp with delight and therefore the close is worth the wait. 

The evening draws to an end with the highly energised, colourful and dramatic A Linha Curva. This Brazilian influenced finale is spectacular from start to finish with a fantastic band high above the stage and a very tribal feel to the dancers’ formations which are exuberant, complex and impressive without being gaudy or over indulgent. 

From the outset the audience are engaged and enthralled by the action, willing the dancers to out-do each other as they spilt in to two teams, exhibiting and vying with each other to be the most impressive.

Rambert present a dynamic programme, varied in style but with a strong theme running through all the pieces. A highly skilled company of dancers with a great ability to draw the audience into the performance and produce a well executed programme leaves the audience enthused and energised, resulting in a very good evening of entertainment via their meticulous movement.

-Ruth Lovett