Divas ‘Dancical’ Honours Piaf, Garland & Dietrich

Danish choreographer Peter Schaufuss will bring his new “dancical”, an homage to “three of the world’s greatest female stars” – Edith Piaf (pictured), Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland – to the West End this summer. Divas will have a limited season from 19 June to 5 July 2008 at the Apollo Theatre, where Schaufuss’ Rolling Stones-inspired dancical Satisfaction was seen last summer (See 1st Night Photos, 30 Aug 2007).

Performed in three acts, Divas focuses on the art and individuality of the three women and their differences in character, with songs that have become synonymous with the women – such as Piaf’s “Non, je ne regrette rien” and Garland’s “Over the Rainbow” – forming the musical backdrop to the dance numbers.

Schaufuss describes the acts in Divas as “individual pictures drawing inspiration from songs and lyrics” with the dancers’ performances providing “a mosaic of impressions conveying an image of the times”. The piece is devised, directed, choreographed and designed by Schaufuss.

A former director of the London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet), Peter Schaufuss returned to Holstebro in his native Denmark to found the Peter Schaufuss Ballet, the country’s first independent, international touring ballet company. He made headlines in the UK three years ago with Diana The Princess, his dance piece based on the life of the Princess of Wales (See The Goss, 10 Mar 2005). In addition to more conventional dance productions, the Schaufuss repertoire also includes a ballet set to the music of Michael Jackson entitled I’m Bad.

Currently at the Apollo, Peter Hall’s revival of Noel Coward’s 1924 play
The Vortex, starring Felicity Kendal and Dan Stevens, is scheduled to continue its limited season until 7 July (See Review Round-up, 27 Feb 2008).

– by Terri Paddock