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Lost Dog is an extraordinarily creative Company, and it was a stunning experience to see their latest work at Corn Exchange Newbury before it goes on to Norwich and Nottingham in May. In many ways it has to be experienced to fully appreciate the work and neither the handbill of an actress covering herself in clay nor the Brochure descriptor of Dance do it justice. It is a slickly choreographed multimedia performance with a brilliant soundtrack and an unusual presentation style that tells in a fresh and innovative way the core story of Charles Dickens’s Tale of two cities. Its ninety-minute running time passes very quickly as we become fully absorbed in the performance.
The story explores the life of Charles Darnay and his wife, Lucie, their daughter also called Lucie and their son Sydney and Darnay’s escape from the guillotine after being found guilty of treason. A critical figure in Darnay’s life is Sydney Carton, who looks like him and gets him acquitted from an earlier trial before declaring his love for Lucie, Darnay’s wife. Interweaved in their plight is the story of the Marquis St Evremonde, Madame Teresa Defarge and Dr Manette (Lucie’s father). It is an epic tale set against the background of the gruesome French Revolution from 1775 to 1793.
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Darnay & Carton are played by Hannes Langolf capturing through his movement and expression the torment and love his character experiences. John Kendall plays Sydney but also performs a superb three-and-a-half-minute dance sequence of Evremonde in his death throes on a noose while the onlookers watch. It’s a gruesome thought but compelling to watch. Valentina Formenti plays the mother torn between two men with a simmering passion. Temitope Ajose-Cutting plays Defarge with a powerful stage presence and dramatic dance moves. But it is Nina Madelaine who led the piece as the videographer, sometimes talking wittily directly to the audience, sometimes from behind her camera and then in some beautifully conceived dance and a wonderful final folk lament. Clare Edwards as the BSL interpreter is as much part of the piece acting out the whole story for those who are hard of hearing and giving it another dimension as well as making it more accessible. It is a remarkably engaging performance and was fully appreciated by the party of young people in the front row.
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Don’t decide on the handbill or brochure, look for the @LostDogDance social media promotional videos which give a compelling glimpse of what is in store and try and catch it later on tour.
Review by Nick Wayne
Rating: ★★★★
Seat: Row E | Price of Ticket: £20