Ballet Nights 2023 review ★★★★★
Royal Ballet stars shared the stage with newcomers in the first edition of this year’s Ballet Nights in the intimate surroundings of the Lanterns Studio Theatre, Canary Wharf
Constance Devernay-Laurence in Gamzatti Variation, Ballet Nights. Photo: Deborah Jaffe
This year sees the second outing of Ballet Nights, which launched in 2021, the brainchild of former dancer and entrepreneur Jamiel Devernay-Laurence. His stated aim is ‘to bridge the gap between the small venue scratch night and the main stage opera house experience’.
In the Lanterns Studio Theatre, Canary Wharf, he found the ideal space for his project: a large stage open to a relatively small audience, which affords the public an unusually close look at the performers, some problematic sightlines permitting.
Lanterns Studio Theatre auditorium. Photo: Lanterns Studio Theatre
Furthermore, Devernay-Laurence has introduced a variety-show format, with himself as a compère providing a brief introduction to each act. Whether this works is, perhaps, a matter of personal preference, but he is an amiable character and knows to keep his appearances short and to the point.
His ambitious schedule for autumn 2023 consists of three distinct programmes spread over three months, with two performances each per programme.
Programme 01 blended classical and new pieces, with the classical sections definitely coming out on top. After a brief live piano performance by resident artist Viktor Erik Emanuel, the dancing got under way with an introspective performance of Fokine’s The Dying Swan by The Royal Ballet first soloist, Melissa Hamilton.
Hamilton is one of the Royal Ballet’s most individual and interesting dancers, and she brought something quite special to a piece which has sadly become a cliché of gala performances.
She returned to close the programme in an extract from Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto, partnered by another compelling Royal Ballet dancer, principal Ryochi Hirano, on what turned out to be his 40th birthday.
Melissa Hamilton and Ryoichi Hirano in Concerto, Ballet Nights. Photo: Deborah Jaffe
That was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening, both dancers compelling in the slow, exacting pas de deux from the second movement of Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto.
MacMillan had been represented earlier with a short, playfully passionate pas de deux from his now rarely seen ballet Isadora, beautifully danced by Amy Thake and Edd Mitton, for Yorke Dance Project.
Amy Thake and Edd Mitton in Isadora, Ballet Nights. Photo: Deborah Jaffe
Royal Ballet principal Steven McRae, accompanied by violinist Vasko Vassiliev, performed his own party piece, Czárdás, a showy, vertiginous blend of ballet and tap, which never fails to enthuse audiences.
And the award-winning former Scottish Ballet principal Constance Devernay-Laurence, fully recovered from a recent injury, gave a sparkling performance of the Gamzatti Variation from La Bayadére (pictured top).
The contemporary pieces were more of a mixed bag. On the plus side was Jordan James Bridge’s specially commissioned short solo to music by Rival Consoles.
Jordan James Bridge, Ballet Nights. Photo: Deborah Jaffe
On the minus side there was Peter Leung's seemingly interminable ballet-by-numbers piece All in Passing, performed by the young dancers of the New English Ballet Theatre.
In its attempt to present dance in a radically different way Ballet Nights is a bit of a gamble. I suspect that as it establishes itself, it’ll be tweaked and redefined to focus on the audience it wants to attract.
Programme 02 (Friday 27 & Saturday 28 October) presents mostly contemporary works.
Programme 03 (Friday 24 & Saturday 25 November) returns to the classical/contemporary mix
In the Lanterns Studio Theatre, Canary Wharf, he found the ideal space for his project: a large stage open to a relatively small audience, which affords the public an unusually close look at the performers, some problematic sightlines permitting.
Lanterns Studio Theatre auditorium. Photo: Lanterns Studio Theatre
Furthermore, Devernay-Laurence has introduced a variety-show format, with himself as a compère providing a brief introduction to each act. Whether this works is, perhaps, a matter of personal preference, but he is an amiable character and knows to keep his appearances short and to the point.
His ambitious schedule for autumn 2023 consists of three distinct programmes spread over three months, with two performances each per programme.
Programme 01 blended classical and new pieces, with the classical sections definitely coming out on top. After a brief live piano performance by resident artist Viktor Erik Emanuel, the dancing got under way with an introspective performance of Fokine’s The Dying Swan by The Royal Ballet first soloist, Melissa Hamilton.
Hamilton is one of the Royal Ballet’s most individual and interesting dancers, and she brought something quite special to a piece which has sadly become a cliché of gala performances.
She returned to close the programme in an extract from Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto, partnered by another compelling Royal Ballet dancer, principal Ryochi Hirano, on what turned out to be his 40th birthday.
Melissa Hamilton and Ryoichi Hirano in Concerto, Ballet Nights. Photo: Deborah Jaffe
That was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening, both dancers compelling in the slow, exacting pas de deux from the second movement of Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto.
MacMillan had been represented earlier with a short, playfully passionate pas de deux from his now rarely seen ballet Isadora, beautifully danced by Amy Thake and Edd Mitton, for Yorke Dance Project.
Amy Thake and Edd Mitton in Isadora, Ballet Nights. Photo: Deborah Jaffe
Royal Ballet principal Steven McRae, accompanied by violinist Vasko Vassiliev, performed his own party piece, Czárdás, a showy, vertiginous blend of ballet and tap, which never fails to enthuse audiences.
And the award-winning former Scottish Ballet principal Constance Devernay-Laurence, fully recovered from a recent injury, gave a sparkling performance of the Gamzatti Variation from La Bayadére (pictured top).
The contemporary pieces were more of a mixed bag. On the plus side was Jordan James Bridge’s specially commissioned short solo to music by Rival Consoles.
Jordan James Bridge, Ballet Nights. Photo: Deborah Jaffe
On the minus side there was Peter Leung's seemingly interminable ballet-by-numbers piece All in Passing, performed by the young dancers of the New English Ballet Theatre.
In its attempt to present dance in a radically different way Ballet Nights is a bit of a gamble. I suspect that as it establishes itself, it’ll be tweaked and redefined to focus on the audience it wants to attract.
Programme 02 (Friday 27 & Saturday 28 October) presents mostly contemporary works.
Programme 03 (Friday 24 & Saturday 25 November) returns to the classical/contemporary mix
TRY CULTURE WHISPER
Receive free tickets & insider tips to unlock the best of London — direct to your inbox
| What | Ballet Nights 2023 review |
| Where | Lanterns Studio Theatre, Unit D. Great Eastern Enterprise, 3 Millharbour,, London, E14 9XP | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Canary Wharf (underground) |
| When |
29 Sep 23 – 25 Nov 23, 29 & 30 Sept; 27 & 28 Oct; 24 & 25 Nov at 19:30. Dur.: TBC |
| Price | £65-£131.97 |
| Website | Click here to book |