Love, humour and drama at the Staatsballett Berlin

Before embarking upon a festive series of Patrice Bart’s Swan Lake, Staatsballett Berlin continue its run of this popular neoclassical double bill, 2 Chapters Love, named after Sharon Eyal’s work and a follow up to 2017’s Love Chapter 2. Completing the programme is Sol León’s Stars Like Moths, paired together they make for a high quality evening, hypnotic, fluid and not without a dash of humour.

The colour scheme for León’s work is distinctly monochrome, and after the first few minutes of Stars like Moths, I was fully prepared to write it off as new contemporary nonsense but the charm and humour that emerged ended up winning me over.

Long time Guest Principal, Polina Semionova has such an unmistakable and striking stage presence. Here she climbs onto the stage from somewhere in the orchestra pit and sits, (endless) legs crossed, surveying the audience from a plinth. Slowly, she dons an elegant pair of black high heeled shoes to the voice of Etta James. She gesticulates expressively before being joined by a male. He proceeds to produce slice after slice of watermelon, breaking off a chunk for her before aggressively attacking the remainder (from the front stalls you can see the juice flying from the frenzied gnawing).

They make way for a procession of mostly couples who each present a vignette. Paul Lightfoot’s slick staging is memorable, from a bright, white outline of a tree and an anonymous rehearsal room to a starry sky, and couples on raised platforms in front of it. The dancers are all sharp and precise, the aggressive facial contortions and head movements contrasting with the balletic choreography from the waist down. Brought together with a compilation of tracks including music from Bach and Richter, there is something poetic and engrossing about it.

The last scene melts into something more romantic, the stark black backdrop pricked with white stars, the couples stargaze romantically, the movement smoothes out to reveal a softer and more reflective side. There is a spoken word element throughout which continues here, although it doesn’t work as a device due to being inaudible even from the front of the stalls. Semionova and Martin ten Kortenaar chat informally, as if in rehearsal, in brief discussions about the moves, laughing and joking, their trust is evident even without the words. There is no brash conclusion, just some light probing that leaves the audience with a curiosity and probably a smile too.

Sharon Eyal’s unique choreographic style is easily recognisable, but used to even greater effect in 2 Chapters Love, a co-creation with Gai Behar. Danielle Muir (a gorgeously technical dancer) takes centre stage; she has an easy stage presence, effortlessly holding the attention even in the initially subtle movements of Eyal’s choreography, all wide eyed and alert to her surroundings. There are prolonged back bends, stretches, legs extended to 180 degrees. Alon Cohen’s lighting is exposing, just as the flesh coloured bodysuits leave very little room to hide, but there is an unexpected theatricality. The dancers wear elaborate headwear, reminiscent of Greek gods and goddesses, there is heavy make up and when the full corps enter en masse, there is an imposing regality to them.

Ori Lichtik’s thumping electronic score makes for a faster paced, more satisfying experience than Eyal’s more typical slow burning pieces (see Salt Womb etc.) The parade of dancers, stalking about the stage on demi-pointe, all flashy flicks of the wrist, flapping swan-like arms and killer extensions makes for something compelling.

The cohesion of the ensemble is impressive in this energy sapping slog, as sweat glistens the physical demands do not let up, although what it has to say about love (as the title suggests) is not apparent, but the end result is no less fascinating and enjoyable.

Contemporary programmes, especially with only two pieces can easily fall flat, but the depth on offer from Eyal and León means the work would even benefit from repeat viewing. Visually and choreographically these are complex creations to get under the skin of. Add to the mix, the physicality and technique of the Staatsballett and it’s an easy sell that is packing Unter den Linden nearly a year after it first premiered.