Fewer words, more heart: Wheeldon underwhelms in TAB’s Oscar

Ako Kondo as The Nightingale in Christopher Wheeldon's Oscar

Jarryd Madden as Oscar in Christopher Wheeldon's Oscar

Adam Elmes and Jarryd Madden in Christopher Wheeldon's Oscar

The Australian Ballet in Christopher Wheeldon's Oscar

Ako Kondo and The Australian Ballet in Christopher Wheeldon's Oscar

Sharni Spencer and Jarryd Madden in Christopher Wheeldon's Oscar

By Katie Lawrence, 10 November 2024

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“no complaints can be made about the dancing or the aesthetics of Oscar”

Reviewed at Sydney Opera House: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney on 8 November 2024

Oscar (Christopher Wheeldon)

The Australian Ballet

David Hallberg, Director

Jean-Marc Puissant, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Opera Australia Orchestra

Jarryd Madden, Dancer

Adam Elmes, Dancer

Ako Kondo, Dancer

Sharni Spencer, Dancer

NYCB: Ratmansky’s The Naked King is not satire, but good fun

Ivy Lin, 7th February

New York City Ballet presents a very entertaining quadruple bill which includes Alexei Ratmansky’s latest work, The Naked King, showing off the company’s comic talents.

****1

The Royal Ballet’s Like Water for Chocolate is sumptuous but complex

Amanda Jennings, 1st October

The Royal Ballet’s season opener, Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate, is visually tremendous, very well danced but the many principal and soloist characters are difficult to keep up with.

****1

Ballet Nights makes an impressive and unforgettable Scottish debut

Kathy Elgin, 4th July

Ballet Nights is more than an evening of party pieces: it showcases emerging talent alongside older favourites and, in the case of this first Scottish outing, has an eye to local tradition.

****1

ABT in Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale: CliffsNotes Shakespeare

Ivy Lin, 2nd July

Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale is a sumptuous looking production but on this occasion, it didn’t come to life emotionally.

***11

Wheeldon’s Alice: The Royal Ballet shines in a vehicle of excellence

Amanda Jennings, 13th June

Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland shows off The Royal Ballet's roster of supreme dance actors in every version of technical wizardry and comic incarnation.

****1

Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland dazzles again in Tokyo

Naomi Mori, 12th June

Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland returned to the National Ballet of Japan, a marvelous production that amply displays the many talents of the company.

****1

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Katie Lawrence

Katie Lawrence has a background in ballet, jazz, and contemporary, and spent much of her adolescence in the dressing room of dance eisteddfods. She is still mildly triggered by the smell of hairspray. She is now a regular in Sydney's dance audience crowd and can often be found at Sydney Dance Company and Tanya Pearson adult classes.

Fewer words, more heart: Wheeldon underwhelms in The Australian Ballet’s Oscar