Red Bus Londinium Life

Landscapes brings together three powerful Russell Maliphant solos at Sadler’s Wells East.

Since founding his company in 1996, Russell Maliphant has built a reputation for work that explores the flow of movement through the body and the intricate relationship between movement, light, and music. This exhilarating collection of solos proved his continuing appeal as a leading figure in contemporary dance, drawing an enthusiastic, near-full house to London’s newest cultural landmark.

First in the programme is AfterLight, originally commissioned by Sadler’s Wells for its In the Spirit of Diaghilev season. Performed by Daniel Proietto, to Erik Satie‘s “Gnossiennes 1-4″, it was quite rightly hailed as a ‘miniature masterpiece’ by The Telegraph. Inspired by the geometric sketches of Vaslav Nijinsky, the work begins within the confines of a tiny, focused circle before Proietto’s spinning, kinetic energy expands outward to inhabit an entire landscape.

The lighting by Michael Hulls and video design by Jan Urbanowski create a world of dappled trees, vast seas, and shifting clouds. Within this environment, the movement builds intricate patterns that repeat and reform. While technically a solo, the lighting and video act as vital partners, guiding the visual journey through every spiral.

The second solo, Two, offers a rigid and more geometric contrast, backed by Andy Cowton‘s stark, contemporary soundscape. It is performed here by the celebrated Romanian ballerina Alina Cojocaru, the first dancer to receive the Prix Benois de la Danse twice and a performer renowned for the ethereal vulnerability of her Giselle.

This work confines Cojocaru to a singular, uncompromising square of light. Within these strict bounds, the performance becomes a relentless partnership with the atmosphere itself. The sculptural lighting design (again, Michael Hulls, Maliphant’s long time collaborator) turns movement into a visual slipstream. As the tempo accelerates, the light leaves trails in its wake that are reminiscent of the glowing arcs of a sparkler against a dark sky.

Asked afterwards about the title of the work, Cojocaru explained that she sees multiple pairings in the dance which she feels are reflected in life: push and pull, up and down, or stretch and contract.

In the final work of the night, In A Landscape, Maliphant takes to the stage himself, performing to music by Dana Fouras, his wife and creative partner. This strikingly clever piece creates magic with no AI, no projection, and nothing digital. It relies instead on the visceral reality of cloth and light. Different lengths of fabric are folded, shaped, or snapped from rippled to taut as Maliphant uses the textile as a shield and a sanctuary. A particular highlight, achieved through the careful positioning of Panagiotis Tomaras’s lighting, occurs when the cloth becomes a screen for a sophisticated game of shadow puppetry. This allows Maliphant to dance with silhouetted versions of himself at varying angles. We see an artist at one with the most fundamental tools of his trade, reminding us that the most profound worlds are those created by the human hand and the human mind.

Ultimately, Russell Maliphant remains a vital figure in the UK contemporary dance landscape. These three solos do more than just showcase his technical strengths; they offer an excellent chance to see his contribution to the canon alongside a performance that is, quite simply, a joy to watch. Whether you are a student of dance history or a casual theatre-goer, Landscapes is a journey well worth taking.

[Thank you to Sadler’s Wells who provided a gifted ticket in exchange for an honest review.]

Latest reviews:

• Review: Russell Maliphant Dance Company Landscapes, Sadlers Wells East ****
• Review: Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch “Sweet Mambo”, Sadlers Wells *****
• Review: Spin Cycles , Camden People’s Theatre****
• Review: Maggots, Bush Theatre **** 
• Review: BIGRE / “Fish Bowl”, Sadlers Wells ****