RB Manon Reviews RB Reviews Guillem reviews Bussell reviews Benjamin reviews

April 6 in Osaka:
Benjamin, Sansom, Burley, McDermott

April 23 in Tokyo:
Guillem, Cope, Mukhamedov, McDermott

April 24 in Tokyo:
Bussell, Zelensky, Mukhamedov, McDermott

April 25 matinee in Tokyo:
Benjamin, Sansom, Mukhamedov, Revie

As we learned from various news , it was sudden cast change at the first night of the Japan Tour. The performance was not bad, but it lacked the special atmosphere which is like a 'favourable wind' with dancing energy and dramatic power blew from the stage . The most interesting and wonder of that night was the first scene which Manon and Des Grieux met by accidentally. As I expected that Manon did not discover him until they bumped into each other , however, that night Des Grieux showed his book to Manon and they smiled each other before they bumped into. It was a kind of shock for me. Leanne Benjamin's Manon (also in every role she dances in MacMillan ballet) had wonderful magnetism in her eyes I was so fascinated by. Nigel Burley was good acting dancer as Lescault and Christina McDermott was decisive Mistress.

The same leading cast, Benjamin and Sansom, had another chance to dance this ballet on the last day of Japan tour (matinee) . It was totally outstanding performance. Manon is one of my most favourite ballet along with Onegin and Romeo and Juliet, and the performance was one of my best Manon of my memories (I have seen Manon of The Royal Ballet , ABT and Australian Ballet, over 15 times)

I had much more sharpen impression on Benjamin's Manon than in Osaka , then Sansom was so wonderful expressed his exclusive love for Manon from the first moment he looked at her , also he was very innocent student who has a will to live for god. His dance quality of the first solo which was beautifully controlled and the last step sequences at the gaoler's room were very different and contrasted , so we understand it was not only Manon who was the victim of the quirk of the fate, but also Des Guriex. The 2 pas de deuexs of the first act (courtyard and bedroom) were fantastic, because they expressed their love and beautiful music itself. Sansom's supporting hands were very secure, which is totally different from the first performance, so Benjamin was very free on his shoulder and on the positions winding her body around him to express her sensual feeling.

Most wonderful scene of all of this performance was Act 2, Scene 1. Irek Mukhamedov who came to Tokyo for doing Lescault four times in three days. He was a very gift for the tour. Manon , Lescault, and Des Grieux existed on one place but they lived in very different own inner worlds. As they could express their characters so vividly, we enjoyed a deep drama in a ballet.

I loved Bussell's Manon with innocent charm the other night. Zelensky was not on his good figure in the first act, but he was good in the second act expressing his true love for Manon although she was totally changed by Monsieur G.M. then she betrayed his love, their last act was fantastic. I am sure Bussell and Zelensky will grow their partnership even better in future.

Christina McDermott as Lescault's Mistress was so wonderful against Bussell's Manon. She expressed fear and anger against young and upcoming rival; Manon. It was very worthy to see.

I should write Sylvie Guillem's Manon. I was totally lost interests when she danced with a kind of "arranged choreography" in some parts of the ballet and Jonathan Cope was not very good actor that night, although his dance and supporting hand was good. It was so shame because I liked Guillem's Manon last performance I saw in London.

Also, we understand well that The Royal Ballet's corps de ballet are not only dancers but also great actresses and actors. They act everywhere on stage with their own live, so we would have liked to have some extra pairs of eyes to enjoy whole the story. Thank you so much for the wonderful drama !