Giselle retold as a story of lust, indifference and revenge

By Graham Watts, 08 October 2019

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“It may have taken 176 years... but Albrecht finally gets his just desserts”

Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 4 October 2019

Giselle (Dada Masilo)

Dada Masilo / The Dance Factory

Dada Masilo, Dancer

Lwando Dutyulwa, Dancer

Tshepo Zasekhaya, Dancer

Sinazo Bokolo, Dancer

Liyabuya Gongo, Dancer

Llewellyn Mnguni, Dancer

Dada Masilo’s Hamlet: inimitable mix of wisdom and audacity

Maggie Foyer, 25th May

Dada Masilo wanted her audiences to feel the passion and to leave the theatre with a buzz. In her Hamlet, the commitment of the cast ensures this message still holds true.

****1

Communion of Light: Joburg Ballet makes a promising UK debut

Deborah Weiss, 30th October

Joburg Ballet makes a promising, if somewhat initially tentative, UK debut with a programme of five works, four by South African choreographers.

***11

Dada Masilo's The Sacrifice was powerful and magical dance theatre

Graham Watts, 21st February

An African reimagining of The Rite of Spring, it combines solos that fizz with electric currents and ends with an unforgettable, arresting experience.

*****

Dada Masilo’s Giselle Reclaims her Power

Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, 3rd April

Dada Masilo’s Giselle is about her redemption, not his.

****1

Dada Masilo’s Modern Fairy Tale

Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, 2nd February

Dada Masilo is a delightful performer whose warmth and goodwill instantly captures your heart.

****1

William Kentridge’s miscellany hour

Rebecca Lentjes, 24th October

William Kentridge’s chamber opera Refuse the Hour emerged amid a hurricane of clashing out-of-sync metronomes, frenetic choreography, African drumming, brass glissandi, and sound-making contraptions.

***11

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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.

Dada Masilo: Giselle retold as a story of lust, indifference and revenge