 |
| PNB company members in William Forsythe's "One Flat Thing, reproduced" 2018 photo @ Stacy Ebestyne |
The first time I saw Pacific
Northwest Ballet perform William Forsythe’s “One Flat Thing, reproduced,” in
2008, my head exploded in the most wonderful way. I’d loved Forsythe’s “In the
middle, somewhat elevated,” already part of the PNB repertoire, but “One Flat
Thing,” with Thom Willems’ arresting electronic score and its flotilla of
white-topped tables that served as both set, obstacles, and dance partners?
This was a ballet that spoke to my soul.
It still does.
Ten years later, PNB presents the dance again, as the capstone to the annual “Director’s
Choice” program. And “One Flat Thing” is better than I remembered it.
 |
| PNB company members in Forsythe's "One Flat Thing" 2018 photo @ Angela Sterling |
If you haven’t had an opportunity to see it, this is a work for 14 dancers and, 20 metal tables. As the lights come up, the dancers emerge
from darkness at the back of the stage, each dragging out a table, which they
align precisely, like cars in neat parking spaces. Then, to Willems’ sometimes
jarring score, we watch the interplay between the humans onstage, as well as
the interplay between humans and their environment; in this case---the tables.
On opening night, March 16th, Christian Poppe began the action with an
emphatic hop straight up from the floor to a set on a table top; Noelani
Pantastico seized the stage, striding toward us between two rows of tables, her
hands grazing their surfaces, her ponytail sailing in her wake. Ryan Cardea
teasingly echoed the movements of his fellow cast members; Kyle Davis stepped in
to help a dancer reposition her legs, while Lucien Postelwaite lay under a
table, his movements shadowing the action above him.
 |
| PNB company members in Forsythe's "One Flat Thing, reproduced" 2018 photo @ Angela Sterling |
“One Flat Thing, reproduced” was inspired
by Robert Scott’s Antarctic expeditions, according to the program, and if you’re
inclined toward literalism, you can see icebergs in those white table tops. Ten
years ago, this ballet made me thing about chaos and order; this time around I
saw it as a thrilling wild ride that showcases each dancer’s technical
abilities and full-on commitment to this multi-faceted, and continually
fascinating, work.
As I mentioned, “One Flat Thing”
capped an excellent evening of contemporary work that opened with the premiere of PNB soloist Ezra Thomson’s ambitious and sophisticated “The Perpetual State.”
I’ll write more about it after a second viewing.
Karel Cruz and Laura Tisserand
were sinuous and elegant in Forsythe’s “Slingerland Duet.” PNB audiences
originally saw this in 2015 as part of another work called “New Suite.”
Forsythe removed this long duet, and now it stands on its own in the PNB rep,
like a polished jewel.
 |
| PNB Principal Dancers Laura Tisserand and Karel Cruz in Forsythe's "Slingerland Duet" 2018 photo @ Angela Sterling |
“Slingerland” was paired mid-evening with
Ulysses Dove’s 1994 quartet “Red Angels,” performed to Mary Rowell’s
percussive, plaintive electric violin. I have loved “Red Angels” since the
first time I saw it at PNB in 2005. The opening night cast--Lindsi Dec, Lucien
Postelwaite, Lesley Rausch and Jerome Tisserand--were uniformly excellent, but I
have to single out Postelwaite, who took my breath away. He has a seemingly
magical ability to hang in mid-air for an extra beat, when you’d think gravity
would pull him to the stage. It’s a haunting contrast to Rowell’s throbbing and
somewhat ragged violin.
 |
| PNB Principal Dancers Lucien Postelwaite and Lesley Rausch in Ulysses Dove's "Red Angels" photo @ Angela Sterling |
Actually, it feels a little
unfair to single out dancers, because the company as a whole looks so good
right now. Artistic Director Peter Boal regularly pulls out members of his corps de ballet, to feature
them in roles that typically go to soloists or principal dancers. At this
performance, he took the opportunity to promote two of those corps members:
Price Suddarth and Steven Loch. Both promotions are well-deserved, but Boal
could just as easily promote at least half a dozen others: Emma Love Suddarth (Price’s wife); Sarah
Pasch; Elle Macy; Miles Pertl; Dylan Wald to name just a few of the
excellent company members who deliver great performances night after night.
 |
| New PNB Soloist Price Suddarth rocking it in the studio photo @ Angela Sterling |
If you’ve been meaning to check
out PNB, now is the time. The company is preparing for its first-ever tour to Paris, plus the work on offer is exciting. “Director’s Choice” runs Thursday through Sunday at
McCaw Hall. Go! You won't be disappointed.
FYI, you can also catch the return of
Crystal Pite’s “Betroffenheit” this coming weekend, a co-presentation of
Seattle Theater Group and On The Boards. And that will prep you for a return to
PNB in April, for Pite’s monumental “Emergence.”
What a spring!
