Mathilde Monnier and La Ribot, Queen Elizabeth Hall | reviews, news & interviews
Mathilde Monnier and La Ribot, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Mathilde Monnier and La Ribot, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Uncannily in tune with the times, mutually destructive slapstick twins
Sunday, 09 May 2010
![](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/mast_image_landscape/public/mastimages/ed75fe6580bca12eb76431640a45783c.jpg?itok=5ROUikdm)
La Ribot and Mathilde Monnier: can't live with each other, can't live without each other, just like the election
These past five days in May have seen some fairly oddball goings-on labelled as "New Dance at the Southbank Centre". Accidentally coinciding with other oddball goings-on on the national scene, since it was booked up long ago before elections were called. But no double-act in politics is likely to be quite as peculiar and weirdly stimulating as that between the Spanish cabaret artiste La Ribot (often to be found nude) and the postmodern French choreographer Mathilde Monnier, playing two sides of a woman who can’t help being at war with herself, like slapstick twins or conjoined politicians.
These past five days in May have seen some fairly oddball goings-on labelled as "New Dance at the Southbank Centre". Accidentally coinciding with other oddball goings-on on the national scene, since it was booked up long ago before elections were called. But no double-act in politics is likely to be quite as peculiar and weirdly stimulating as that between the Spanish cabaret artiste La Ribot (often to be found nude) and the postmodern French choreographer Mathilde Monnier, playing two sides of a woman who can’t help being at war with herself, like slapstick twins or conjoined politicians.
The future of Arts Journalism
You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!
We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d
And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.
Subscribe to theartsdesk.com
Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.
To take a subscription now simply click here.
And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?
more Dance
![](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Screenshot%202024-10-30%20at%2017-39-09%20theartsdesk.com%20%28%40the_arts_desk%29%20%E2%80%A2%20Instagram%20photos%20and%20videos.png?itok=W02US5i5)
![Deus ex machina: Dionysus (Tommy Franzén) takes pity on grieving Ariadne (Kristen McNally) in Minotaur](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Tommy%20Franze%CC%81n%20%28Dionysus%29%20and%20Kristen%20McNally%20%28Ariadne%29%20in%20Minotaur%20%C2%A92025%20Tristram%20Kenton%20%281%29.jpg?itok=GHMuDnZY)
![Beneath notice: Reece Clarke as Eugene Onegin and Marianela Nuñez as Tatiana in John Cranko's 1965 ballet 'Onegin'](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Reece%20Clarke%20%28Eugene%20Onegin%29%2C%20Marianela%20Nun%CC%83ez%20%28Tatiana%29%20in%20Onegin%20%C2%A92025%20ROH.%20Ph%20Andrej%20Uspenski%20%283%29.jpg?itok=lc8fkuJx)
![Star cross'd: the company in the climactic fight scene from Fools](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Northern%20Ballet%20dancers%20in%20Fools.%20Photo%20Robert%20David%20Pearson.jpg?itok=JZBH7-SV)
![Clouds of glory: Artists of the National Ballet of Canada in Crystal Pite's latest work for that company, 'Angels' Atlas'](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Artists%20of%20the%20Ballet%20in%20Angels%E2%80%99%20Atlas.%20%20Photo%20by%20Karolina%20Kuras.%20Courtesy%20of%20The%20National%20Ballet%20of%20Canada.jpg?itok=z_YnkYQc)
![Every one's a fruit and nut cake: the Marzipan-Zwiebelflöten, or marzipan flutes, in the Kingdom of Sweets](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/ENBnutcrack2024JP_04354-Edit.jpg?itok=7Td4p_5i)
![Powerful physicality: the company of Swans](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/MATTHEW%20BOURNE%27S%20SWAN%20LAKE.%20The%20Company.%20Photo%20Johan%20Persson.jpg?itok=ETNp88A_)
![Gotta dance: Nadine Higgin as Theo, Grace Saif as Pauine, Daisy Sequerra as Posy and Yanexi Enriquez as Petrova](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Nadine%20Higgin%20%28Theo%20Dane%29%2C%20Grace%20Saif%20%28Pauline%20Fossil%29%2C%20Daisy%20Sequerra%20%28Posy%20Fossil%29%20and%20Yanexi%20Enriquez%20%28Petrova%20Fossil%29%20in%20Ballet%20Shoes%20at%20the%20National%20Theatre.%20Photographer%20Manuel%20Harlan-097.jpg?itok=aIs8I1_X)
![Flawless technique: Marianela Nuñez as Cinderella, heading for the ball](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Marianela%20Nun%CC%83ez%20as%20Cinderella%20in%20Cinderella%2C%20The%20Royal%20Ballet%20%C2%A92024%20ROH.%20Photographed%20by%20Andrej%20Uspenski%20%285%29_0.jpg?itok=LE1QcUZi)
![Sam Amidon working with Holly Vallis and Rachel Poirier in rehearsals for 'Nobodaddy' at Teac Damsa, An Ghlaise Bheag, Ballydavid](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/unknown_17.jpg?itok=20DBUZy1)
![War of the worlds: Akram Khan and Mavin Khoo as warring siblings in GIGENIS, inspired by the Mahabharata](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Akram%20Khan%2C%20GIGENIS%20the%20generation%20of%20the%20Earth%2C%20image%20credit%20Maxime%20Dos%2C%20Productions%20Sarfati%20%284%29.jpg?itok=y5fhMCRM)
![Vegetarian option: the Royal Ballet corps as Crake's bioengineered replacements for humans](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Wayne%20McGregor%27s%20MADDADDAM%2C%20The%20Royal%20Ballet%20%C2%A92024%20RBO.%20Ph%20Andrej%20Uspenski%20%289%29.jpg?itok=v6BJT809)
Add comment