Come Fly Away (2016)

[Syrene Hvid]

Come Fly Away repremiered on the 21st in the Opera and has two casts. I'm seeing it this Saturday (28th, second cast) and look forward to it very much. It's been running the past two (three?) seasons, but I never prioritised it before now, so it'll be my first time seeing it. Looking forward to the jazz mood.

CASTING:

1. / 2. casts

Babe: Amy Watson / Camilla Ruelykke Holst

Sid: Jonathan Chmelensky / Benjamin Buza

Kate: Wilma Giglio / Alexandra Lo Sardo

Hank: Gregory Dean / Tim Matiakis

Betsy: Caroline Baldwin / Benita Bünger

Marty: Charles Andersen / Alexander Bozinoff

Slim: Maria Bernholdt / Lena-Maria Gruber

Wave: Birgitta Lawrence / Viktoria Falck-Schmidt

Chanos: Alexander Stæger / Nicolai Hansen

​Ensemble gentlemen: ​Bryant Steenstra, Cédric Lambrette, Andreas Kaas / Ariel Merkuri, James Clark, Matteo di Loreto

​Ensemble ladies: ​Stephanie Chen, Birgitta Lawrence, Josephine Berggreen / Viktoria Falck-Schmidt, Emma Håkansson, Kaledora Fontana

I personally think both casts are very strong, though first cast obviously features the principals, whereas second cast runs on soloists and many corps dancers. However, this is a good thing! I don't get to see these guys in enough big roles, so I'm really excited.

For the cast I'm seeing on Saturday, a special shout-out to Camilla Ruelykke who's a favourite of mine and almost made me buy a ticket for Come Fly when they first staged it, because she was dancing Babe. I'm so excited that I'm getting to see her! Also shout-out to Tim Matiakis, Alexandra Lo Sardo and Benjamin Buza! Of the others, I'm especially glad to see Lena-Maria Gruber on the list... All in all, I'm really glad I caught the cast I did.

From the first cast, I'm sad I'll be missing out on Watson's Babe, though, I get the feeling that it could be a defining role for her. Also, I'd love to see Chmelensky as Sid and Dean as Hank. So glad to see Baldwin got Betsy, too! I will miss Chen's face in the ensemble, that's for sure, but just glad to see her on stage again...

I'll write my report on it over the weekend. Anyone else has seen it or will be seeing it this time around?

[Jayne]

super jealous, but I can see that RDB would excel in Twyla's work, because she demands fast movement that works well with the rigors of Bournonville training.

[Syrene Hvid]

COME FLY AWAY - 28.05.2016

Come Fly Away was a very enjoyable and easily accessible show. They performed for a full house at the Opera which was nice to see. I had very good seats on the parquet, close to the nightclub lights and the live orchestra. The sound was amazing and the musicians played to Sinatra's voice like he was performing then and there.

I saw the second cast and it featured some of my favourites. Alexandra Lo Sardo dominated as Kate. She played her with a very dark, seductive air that was absolutely irresistible. Her dancing was beautiful, commanding and strong. Her duet with Tim Matiakis' Hank was the moment of the night. He was amazing, strong technician, strong actor. He, too, portrayed a very commanding character and his face read vividly as both smouldering and unstoppable. I ansolute loved him. I loved them both, individually and together. They created a dynamic of give and take, power and struggle.

Another strong presence was Lena-Maria Gruber as Slim. This character is more underplayed and has less solo work than the other female characters, but she passes between the men (and the women) a lot and dances with the ensemble, in the beginning always synched with Kate. Not to mention that her lead in the dance where she tells Betsy that cooking and cleaning isn't for her was so funny and character-defining. I also loved her dance opposite... Right now I can't remember if it was Chanos or Hank, but she dances to a song that is about how being loved and kissed by a girl makes you feel good. I loved that they didn't shy away from this aspect of Kate and Slim's relation. That they are to and from each other as romantic and sexual partners. Even if they both end up with men in the end (same old bisexual trope), the LGBT spectre is included as something else than stock gimmicks. And the fact that it's between two women made me so happy, I can't really think of any other ballets I've seen that does it. Lena-Maria Gruber played Slim very cleverly with humour and charm, she was beautiful, even in the less than attractive costumes. The first one was the best and even then...

Benjamin Buza played Sid and danced wonderfully throughout. I thought he warmed up to the role over the course of the performance and before the end of act one, he was in the zone. The solos didn't quite work for him at any point, but his partnering of Camilla Ruelykke as Babe was great. He had a lot expressions and added some FUN to the cool Sid.

Camilla Ruelykke was a lovely Babe. I've wanted to see her in this role since they first staged the ballet and she didn't disappoint. Like Buza, she needed to warm up to the character gradually, but by the end of act one and her big numbers with Sid and the rest of the cast came, she portrayed a very playful, warm Babe. Considering that neither Babe nor Sid are the most interesting characters in the show, Ruelykke showed great skill in her acting, managing to portray both development and deeper emotion.

Nicolai Hansen was Chanos who used to be in love with Babe and whose character arc is realising they won't be an item, so he turns his eyes on Slim instead. It was wonderful seeing Hansen in something more substantial again and he aced the role. His solo in the first act, showing his pain over Babe's rejection was heartfelt and beautifully danced.

Alexander Bozinoff danced an absolutely outstanding Marty with amazing partnering and lifts. He was funny and charismatic and presented some great faces at his Betsy, Benita Bünger. Bünger was a cute Betsy who danced the role with heart and skill, lots of energy and smiles. Especially after they have their first falling out and she starts stepping out of the sweet girl-box, she really shone, when she up till that point sometimes let her sweetness get marred by something a bit affected. Otherwise, this was a great role for her and she danced with lots of pondus. Looking at her and Bozinoff in their partnering was a constant thrill, wow.

The ensemble was equally strong. Viktoria Falck-Schmidt danced the solo role Wave as well and was very alluring and beautiful in the low lights. Amongst the men, I especially noticed Ariel Merkuri who managed some outstanding lifts of the girls, but really - all ensemble dancers were outstanding and fit right into the excellence of the main cast.

Overall, I enjoyed Come Fly Away. I thought it was a nicely told story, like a string of short stories, fates bound together by the jazz and the night lights. Glimpses of love in a jazz age. Lo Sardo's drunk scene with Matiakis was touching and one of the final strong moments of the ballet. Because although the finale to My Way was beautifully danced and left me breathless with all the in and out between each other, truly "Dancing With the Stars" done right, I thought the way it slapped all the couples together felt a bit rushed in the narrative, like we'd overlooked a few steps on the way there. However, it didn't ruin anything that came before either and the show was a light-heart affair to begin with, so I won't complain about it beyond that note.

All in all, I loved it. Would see it again anyday. It suits the RDB like a glove!