By Renata Ogayar
The Exquisite Hour is a classical ballet representation of Samuel Beckett's Happy Days written in 1961, choreographed by one of the world’s most renowned choreographers, Maurice Bejart. Bejart remarkably transforms the story into a masterpiece, enjoying a full house on opening night at The Theatre Royal Sydney.
Returning to the stage after many years Maina Gielgud, former Artistic Director of the Australian Ballet, plays the role of ‘Winnie’, an ageing ballerina who relives her heartfelt memories and experiences. Former Principal Artist of the Australian Ballet, Paul DeMasson plays ‘Willie’, the husband of Winnie, an interesting character who brings quirky, spontaneous, and comic moments to the stage.
The performance opens with Maina Gielgud perched on a hugh pile of pointe shoes, placed in the centre of the stage. ‘Willie’ sits on the edge of the pile, with his top hat frozen, reading the newspaper. The lighting remains simple throughout the piece as the focus is purely on the ballerina, the monologues and the quirky husband. With clever use of staging, the opening ten seconds leave the audience with impressionable imagery.
Simple, yet effective, the story is conveyed through moments of Winnie living in the past. She reminisces about her first dance at the Opera House, her first kiss and the moment
she met Willie and fell in love. Then out of a bag of
memories all the classic essentials for a ballerina |
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