The Place

Richard Alston is widely acknowledged as one of this country's most musical choreographers, second to none for the diverse range of composers who inspire him to create dance.  Music plays a vital part in the identity of his acclaimed company (recently nominated for a National Dance Award for Outstanding Company) and Alston's choice of composer and score can be as eagerly anticipated as his choreography.

Alston's latest work A Ceremony of Carols looks set to be one of his most perfectly-matched musical collaborations to date. A co-commission by The Marlowe Theatre, recently opened in Canterbury, and Sadler's Wells, A Ceremony of Carols is danced to Benjamin Britten's 1942 masterpiece for boys' choir, sung and played live on stage by the Canterbury Cathedral Choir conducted by David Flood and harpist Camilla Pay (Wed 8 & Thur 9 Feb). Scored for three-part treble chorus, solo voices and harp, Britten's majestic music conjures up a world of rapt and devout adoration. Alston's dance, for his company of eleven and five students from London Contemporary Dance School, is a celebration of a sheer surge of breath, and a pure stream of sound.

At Sadler's Wells (Wed 29 Feb & Thur 1 March), A Ceremony of Carols is part of a triple bill including Alston's seminal Roughcut, rarely revived despite being one of his most popular creations.  Originally made for, and inspired by, the dancers of Rambert Dance Company, Roughcut is set to Steve Reich's shimmeringly beautiful New York and Electric Counterpoints for clarinet and guitar, played live by Roger Heaton and James Woodrow, the original musicians from its first performances in 1990.  Also on the progamme is Martin Lawrance's Lie of the Land, praised as his best work yet. The sharp sweetness of Ned Rorem's String Quartet No 4 has taken Alston's co-choreographer into new territory as he responds to the music's restless, searching changes with a series of unfolding solos, duets and trios.

The company's spring tour programme also includes Alston's Shuffle It Right, Shimmer and Unfinished Business; Martin Lawrance's Other than I; and a revival of Robert Cohan's sextet In Memory, originally made for London Contemporary Dance Theatre.

Listings Information

Wednesday 8 & Thursday 9 February at 7.30pm
The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS
Programme: Roughcut, Unfinished Business, A Ceremony of Carols (all live music)
Box office: 01227 787787 or www.marlowetheatre.com
Tickets: £11 - £23 (concessions available)

Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 February at 7.30pm
Norwich Theatre Royal
Theatre Street, Norwich NR2 1RL
Programme: Roughcut, Unfinished Business (live music), A Ceremony of Carols
Box office: 01603 630000 or www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
Tickets: £5.50 - £18.50 (concessions available)

Wednesday 29 February & Thursday 1 March at 7.30pm
Sadler's Wells Theatre, London
Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4TN
Programme: Roughcut (live music), Lie of the Land, A Ceremony of Carols (live music)
Box office: 0844 412 4300  or www.sadlerswells.com
Tickets: £12 - £32 (concessions available)

Tuesday 13 & Wednesday 14 March at 7.30pm
Malvern Theatre
Grange Road, Malvern, WR14 3HB
Programme: Roughcut, Unfinished Business (live music), A Ceremony of Carols
Box office: 01684 892277 or www.malvern-theatres.co.uk
Tickets: £8 - £12 (concessions available)

Wednesday 28 & Thursday 29 March at 7.30pm
Exeter Northcott Theatre
Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QB
Programme: Shuffle It Right, Unfinished Business (live music), A Ceremony of Carols
Box office: 01392 493493 or www.exeternorthcott.co.uk
Tickets: £10.50 - £18.50 (concessions available)

Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 April at 7.30pm
Clwyd Theatr, Cymru
Off Raikes Lane, Mold CH71YA
Programme: Shimmer (live music), Lie of the Land, Roughcut
Box office: 0845 330 3565 or www.clwyd-theatr-cymru.co.uk
Tickets: £13 - £16 (concessions available)

Friday 27 & Saturday 28 April at 7.30pm
Lighthouse, Poole
21 Kingland Road, Poole BH15 1UG
Programme: Shimmer (live music), Other Than I, In Memory, Shuffle It Right
Box office: 0844 406 8666 or www.lighthousepoole.co.uk
Tickets: £15 (concessions available)

Tuesday 15 & Wednesday 16 May at 8pm
Nottingham Playhouse
Wellington Circus, Nottingham NG1 5AF
Programme: Unfinished Business (live music), Other Than I, In Memory, Roughcut
Box office: 0115 941 9419 or www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
Tickets: £10 - £18 (concessions available)

Tuesday 22 & Wednesday 23 May at 7.30pm
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
Frankwell Quay, Shrewsbury SY3 8FT
Programme: Unfinished Business (live music), Shimmer, A Ceremony of Carols
Box office: 01743 281281 or www.theatresevern.co.uk
Tickets: £12.50 - £16.50 (concessions available)