English National Ballet - The Forsythe Programme
English National Ballet are at Sadler’s Wells with The Forsythe Programme - the work of master choreographer William Forsythe…
Alice Bellini in ‘Herman Schmerman’. © Photography by ASH
English National Ballet
The Forsythe Programme: Rearray (London Edition 2025), Herman Schmerman (Quintet), Playlist (EP)
★★★★★
London, Sadler’s Wells
10 April 2025
www.ballet.org.uk
www.sadlerswells.com
William Forsythe is a true class act. This probably sounds like “stating the bleeding obvious” to some, but what I mean is class in a wider sense than just his redefining of modern ballet — as if that weren’t enough! — but a class act as a person and a broader man of the theatre. I love that he can create ultra-deep and cerebral work where your mind races to thread together austere yet magical material, and I also love that he isn’t at all pompous but comfortable delivering crowd-pleasing entertainment — pure, uncomplicated exhilaration and joy. And good to say that English National Ballet’s (ENB) latest Forsythe bill covers both shades of the man.
The new work on the bill is Rearray (London Edition 2025), a rearrangement of a piece first created in 2011 for Sylvie Guillem and Nicolas Le Riche. Rather than a piece for two legends, it has now become a work for three: a commanding ballerina and two powerful but shorter male dancers who often work together. We find ourselves in a sparse world where the dance inhabits long periods of silence interspersed with Dave Morrow’s discordant, fractured scrapings — our senses are prickled. Some may even be annoyed.
The tall Sangeun Lee certainly commands the action, performing complex movements at a dizzying pace while always looking uber-cool and unruffled. It’s Forsythe, so legs and hips are always on the move and at thrillingly unstable angles, but I’d forgotten the cleverly strange things he does with arms in Rearray. When Lee is joined by Henry Dowden and Rentaro Nakaaki in close triplets, there’s a blur of precise cleverness in the way arms link, materialise just in time for support, and quixotically evaporate — all the while they move around one another at helter-skelter pace. Lee and Nakaaki also have a duet where just one fleeting and unexpected hop made me deliriously happy. However, this is tough work with all its pauses and, at times, perplexing, almost childish movements when they sit around. You’re ready for the end when it comes, but Lee lingers long in the memory, and I hope she takes on more Forsythe assignments.
Still looking fresh and relevant, Herman Schmerman is a quintet made for New York City Ballet nearly 33 years ago. It’s the movement that made Forsythe’s name — thrilling, pacy, giddy and fleeting. There’s no time to be perplexed here, as five dancers (three female and two male) endlessly twist their torsos, jump, lean in, lean out, beat their legs, and conjure pert ballet arms and arabesques to Thom Willems’ emphatic and metallic score. Particular call-outs to Swanice Luong for extra phenomenal speed and Francesco Gabriele Frola for extra precision.
Playlist (EP) brought the house down when ENB first danced it at the Wells three years ago, although a shorter version was first created for them back in 2018. Jann Parry notably said of that, “Playlist is Forsythe at his friendliest, setting virtuoso ballet batterie to disco dance music.” Yep, this is pure, unpretentious adrenaline and FUN, as six catchy pop songs and racy movement get your toes tapping and make you smile at how relevant ballet can still be. Although different songs use different numbers of dancers, Playlist is a whole company work, and at the end, the entire company assembles in waves, a modern take on a defile if you will, to deliver a stage groaning with energy and rich colour from vibrant costumes. It demands and receives a standing ovation. I find it incredible that Forsythe was nearly 70 when he made Playlist — but that’s greatness for you.
I’ve used at least six months’ worth of superlatives here, but it is a terrific night, even if at 80 minutes (including the interval), it’s a little short. But The Forsythe Programme is the work of a master and ENB does full justice to him. Ultimately, you’d be exceedingly daft to live in or around London and not see this show.