Morphoses, Sadler's Wells

Morphoses, Sadler's Wells | reviews, news & interviews

Morphoses, Sadler's Wells

Wheeldon's company promises more than it delivers

by Ismene BrownWednesday, 21 October 2009

Wheeldon's Commedia: short on ambiguous sexuality and satire of commedia dell'artephoto Erin Baino/SWT

Britain’s favourite ballet choreographer Chris Wheeldon rode into his homeland last night, bringing with his Anglo-American company Morphoses work by himself and by Britain’s second favourite ballet choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. Two favourites should be enough to guarantee the opening programme, but there are two drawbacks: the pieces filling the middle of the programme, and the limp video in which it’s all wrapped. And the whole represents a split in taste between US and British ballet expectations from which I am beginning to fear Morphoses - that shining optimistic light of new ballet a couple of years ago - is destined forever to suffer.

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