Cut Throat Company?
Editors Letters || Friday, 15 September, 2006
I'm fuming. Fuming I tell you. Not on my behalf, but for a situation slightly amiss. A company (who I would dearly like to name but won't due to the fact I only know all of this through fairly reliable, yet potentially biased word of mouth) has disappointed me.
Last year a production of theirs was sincerely lauded, its cast of actors and dancers praised by the influential and the resulting action was a co-production with ...... (even here if I go in to details I'll no longer remain opaque).
The directors kept some of the original actors, but auditioned for dancers with sparkling CVs, possibly more on-paper experience than the originals, rather than keep those who worked well for them in the past, part earning them their present situation and more high profile status.
Apparently some of the current dancers have not even seen previous work and while this should never be mandatory, knowing the specifics of the company's tendencies, it would have made sense.
So what do we have: companies feeling the pressure of The Big Time and dropping it's stalwarts (with, I'd like to add, absolutely no communication as to their decision). A little shallow, cowardly and unfair? Or just the reality of a cut 'n thrust artistic world?
Maybe their decision was for the sake of the work. Still...just thought I'd let you know how cross it makes me. Is there to be any solidarity among choreographers and perfomers - and where does decent levels of communication and tact come in?
Best wishes to you. I am so very glad Article19 exists. I'm likely to be in contact again though possibly under my real guise.
Name Witheld
We look forward to hearing more from, perhaps in the shady confines of an underground parking garage!!
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