We take a look at what is being said about the ballet version of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian tale, choreographed by Wayne McGregor.
The Guardian: *** “This is a ballet that is trying to do so much. You applaud its wild aspiration, it enthrals in the moment, but it leaves a flicker of unfulfillment, because its creators are only human after all. Buckle up for the ride and revel in the dancing of these impeccably engineered bodies.”
Bachtrack.com: *** “The combination of spectacular backdrops and evocative film projections are visually stunning, and Max Richter’s score (more of a soundtrack as the choreography in no way references it) is harmless enough; the music for Act 2 is dynamic and propulsive but much of the rest is repetitive.”
The Telegraph: ** “There’s so much ambition in Wayne McGregor and co’s latest work for the Royal Ballet, but their reach fatally exceeds their grasp.”
The FT: *** “Atwood’s rambling 300,000-word parable is filled with great loops of flashback and frequent changes of viewpoint. Rather than untangle the threads connecting the characters to the catastrophe, McGregor and his dramaturge Uzma Hameed ponder the novels’ themes: anthropogenic climate change; the perils of gene-editing; and the human need to tell stories and devise rituals.”
The Arts Desk: *** “Wayne McGregor’s version of Margaret Atwood’s dystopia needs a clearer map.”
London Unattached: “MaddAddam is a dynamic ballet, rich on many levels and able to astound and excite the audience. The choreography is excellent, and the music and work of the creative team are exceptional. It was wonderfully conducted by Koen Kessels, and well done to the orchestra.”
Culture Whisper: *** “That said, MaddAddam is strangely uninvolving. It all seems to happen out there somewhere, and you never hanker to know what comes next, surely a fault in a narrative work. And McGregor’s choreography, peppered with his pet likes – six o’clock arabesques, en arrière or a la seconde, flying lifts, angular arms – feels generic, failing to give each of the protagonists their own character.”
The Stage: *** “Wayne McMcGregor’s take on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian trilogy makes a confusing, yet ravishing evening.”
Time Out: **** “I can’t lie: it probably helps to have read the books if you’re going to wrap your head around the plot of MADDADDAM. And in the name of clarity it might have been a good idea for McGregor to do away with some of the side characters like Ren and Toby. Nonetheless, there’s enough entertaining, and moving, spectacle here that you’ll still be able to sit back and enjoy the ride.”
Broadway World: **** “While the drama is nothing to write home about, this is a visual and aural tour de force that demands a revival. Let’s hope it comes back while its topics can still be considered fictitious.”
The Standard: *** “McGregor, always a fascinating movement-maker, creates a luxuriantly involved trio for Jimmy, Oryx and Crake. They stretch wide, as if they have all the time in the world, to Max Richter’s layered, lulling melody, which recurs enticingly through the evening.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.rbo.org.uk/tickets-and-events/maddaddam-details