Natalie Steers – Page 9

PREVIEW:”Les Liaisons Dangereuses”- Intrigue at Michigan Theater

February 23, 2016February 23, 2016 Natalie Steers Leave a comment

National Theater Live brings scandal to the Michigan Theater, in the form of Christopher Hampton’s award winning play, Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Wednesday’s screening is a recording of a National Theater’s live performance of the play in London. This production marks the thirty year anniversary of the play, which is directed by Josie Rourke and stars a cast of Elaine Cassidy, Janet McTeer, and Dominic West.

Originally a novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, it was adapted by Christopher Hampton in 1985. It was first performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company with a cast that included the late Alan Rickman as the Vicomte de Valmont. It has been adapted into a film as well, titled Dangerous Liaisons that starred Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses is a story of intrigue, sex, morals, and manipulation. Set in pre-revolutionary France, the play follows the lives and rivalries of a group of aristocrats. As scandalizing as when the novel was first released, the play is sure to leave audiences amazed.

The screening at Michigan Theater is Wednesday, February 24th at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $22 for adults and $12 for students. The show has a runtime of 3 hours, that includes a 15 minutes intermission.

REVIEW: Impact Dance Leaps It’s Way To the Power Center

February 22, 2016February 22, 2016 Natalie Steers Leave a comment

They didn’t just leap; Impact twirled, flirted, kicked, cartwheeled, and flipped their way through the weekend. Friday and Saturday evening dancers filled the Power Center with their movement and everything from The Cinematic Orchestra to Britney Spears. More than just the music was varied: Impact performed contemporary, modern, competition, and cheer inspired dances, along with one hip-hop piece. To add to there were also guest performances by Rhythm (a tap dance group), G-Men (an all male acappella group) and The Friars (another male acappella group). All the guests were amazing! At one point The Friars and Impact collaborated on a piece. Impact danced a visually dynamic contemporary performance, as the Friars sang “Run to You”. It was a special treat!

Impact Dance Show Poster (from Impact Dance Facebook Page)

But of course the headliners were Impact. Although at times the show reminded me of an end of the year dance recital, with the dad sitting two rows ahead of me filming the whole thing on his little tripod and many of my fellow audience members shouting out their friends names like we were at a sporting event, I enjoyed the variety of dance and it was visually pleasing. I was surprised by the number of costumes! There was a new one for every dance, a small fact that added to the story of each. In terms of movement, there were a few too many times that a hairflip counted as a dance move for my taste. The group as a whole struggled consistently with spacing, so that often at least one person was hidden behind someone awkwardly.

The actual patterns of movement themselves were pretty ingenious at times. The choreography and dancers used the stage space effectively. Perhaps my favorite example of this from the night was the modern dance to the song “9 Crimes” by Damien Rice. At one point there were three different groups dancing at the same time, each something different, but the movement’s complimented each other in such a way that it looked almost cohesive. And then the groups crossed and intersected in some really cool movement patterns. It took up the whole stage and got every dancer involved so the effect was really powerful.

Impact dances well in unison and together as an ensemble. They seem to have a strong intergroup connectedness, as well as a love for what they do. The show was highly energized, emotional, and vibrant! Having created all those dances themselves, their dedication translated to the audience and made for a night that almost had me leaping home.

REVIEW: “The Triplets of Belleville”

February 21, 2016February 21, 2016 Natalie Steers Leave a comment

Friday evening found the Michigan Theater packed with an audience of all ages. “The Triplets of Belleville” equally captivates those who are seeing it for the first time and those who grew up watching it. This internationally acclaimed film continues to delight its viewers.

(I will not be reviewing the movie itself or providing a plot description. For more information on the actual film check out it’s Wikipedia page.)

The unique animation that characterizes the movie was at times, figuratively and literally, overpowered by the fantastic 8-piece orchestra. It was led by Benoit Charest, performing his original hot jazz score which he composed for the film over a decade ago. Having seen the film before, I was aware during the performance that the music was at times a lot louder than it was in that particular moment in the movie, but it only served to enhance the experience. Unsurprisingly, having the music live added an increased depth to the entire movie, as the music plays a vital part in the storytelling.

I was so amused to watching the musicians play: they were just having so much fun! At one point, during the scene where the now “has-been” triplets revive their famous “Belleville Rendez-vous” song, Charest and two of his musicians not only played the score but also performed the choreographed movement along with the triplets, their onscreen counterparts. This unique interaction between film and live performace was used again during a musical concert the triplets, and now the grandmother, performed in a restaurant. In the film they rustled newspaper, made noise with a vacuum cleaner, played the spokes of a bicycle, and plucked at grates of refrigerator shelves. While the orchestra did not bring a refrigerator on stage, they made use of an assortment of other percussion instruments with Benoit Charest on the newspaper. They swayed, stamped, clapped, and snapped as their classic jazz filled the Michigan Theater.

Rudely, large amounts of the audience started leaving during the credits, as many do after a movie screening (I think my parents are the odd ones out who made their kids sit through all agonizingly slow non-action packed minutes of the credits). So they missed the real finale. The music for the credits featured a reprise of “Belleville Rendez-vous”, the most famous song from the show, and the musicians let loose and ended their show with a powerful bang!

REVIEW: Carrie Smith Returns

February 19, 2016February 19, 2016 Natalie Steers Leave a comment

Thursday night, February 19th, Carrie Smith came back to campus and read from her novel, Silent City. She is a 1979 graduate of the University of Michigan and the Residential College. Her mentor from her student days, Warren, introduced her. It was actually in a writing tutorial with him that she produced a story that would not only win her a third Hopwood award but also become her first novel. This novel, called Forget Harry, was published 15 years ago.

Now, it’s 2016 and her latest book has just been published. It promises to be a truly thrilling mystery. She showed the small audience gathered in the Benzinger Lounge Thursday evening the cover for the sequel. Her publisher had just sent to her the picture that afternoon. Smith turned in the second novel to her publisher earlier in the week and expects the sequel’s release to happen next winter. Following introductions and this small talk on her future work, Smith then read the first chapter from Silent City.

The first chapter is full of wit, mystery, deep reflection, humor and intrigue. We meet our main character, Detective Claire Codella returning to the NYPD after ten months of intensive chemotherapy. Smith actually started writing this work while her partner was undergoing a similar chemo treatment to her main character. Claire Codella is described vividly and as a survivor. In addition to meeting Codella and her fellow officers, the first chapter contains the scene of the crime: a dead principal. And so the mystery begins. Interwoven through the plot setup is a glimpse at Codella’s backstory which proves to be just as mysterious as the death of the local educator. Tied into his death is an apparent reflection on the flaws in our current education system that was an element of social commentary I didn’t expect. I was pleasantly surprised.

Carrie Smith is a re-emerging writer, whose first mystery novel is sure to amaze audiences. Pick up her book at Aunt Agatha’s in Ann Arbor, various other local bookstores, and on Amazon. I know I will!

PREVIEW: “Triplets of Belleville”

February 19, 2016February 19, 2016 Natalie Steers Leave a comment

Friday, February 19th Michigan Theater will be screening “The Triplets of Belleville”, a fun and quirky animated film. This will be no ordinary screening though. Benoit Charest, along with his eight-piece orchestra, will be performing the score live! It’s been a decade since Charest originally created this music but it’s ability to tell an incredible story remains unaffected. The score features a large amount of jazz, which reflects the background of the three rather eccentric jazz singers who weave their way through the story. The film follows a Tour de France cyclist, his grandmother, his dog, and of course, the triplets of Belleville.

Photo Courtesy of Artist from the UMS website

I first saw this film in a high school french class. Not even knowing that it was a widely known film and had been nominated for multiple Academy Awards, I was struck by the unique way it told a story. Having live music I’m sure will offer a new dimension of appreciation to what has become an iconic movie.

Recap: Friday, February 18th at 8:00 pm in the Michigan Theater screens “The Triplets of Belleville.

Runtime: 90 minutes

PREVIEW: Impact Dance Leaps It’s Way to the Power Center

February 18, 2016February 18, 2016 Natalie Steers Leave a comment

Impact performs their annual spring show this weekend, Friday, February 19th and Saturday, February 20th! And to add a cherry to this treat: Impact’s show is also on the Passport to the Arts Voucher. What does this mean? This means that you can pick up a voucher from your residence hall’s community center or the LSA Building and turn it into the Michigan Union Ticket Office. Voila, you have yourself a free ticket to a night of dance.

Impact performs contemporary, jazz and a variety of other dance styles. Their group mostly consists of non-dance majors. The company’s members contribute to designing each show, so the dances are choreographed by your fellow Wolverines! I was a dancer for 14 years and have been meaning to get to one of their shows for forever! With two chances to see the show, and a voucher for a free ticket, it’s the perfect performance to go see while avoiding studying for midterms.

Both performances are at 7 pm. Check out their Facebook Event for more information and updates.