I don't think I'm well-equipped to review a ballet based on its merits and technicalities, given that the medium of ballet is relatively new to me. This is only the sixth ballet performance I've watched, and I believe it will be years before I have anything substantive to say about it. Therefore, I'll approach this performance more akin to critiquing a movie, which seems reasonable considering how it diverges from what we traditionally understand to be a ballet production and aligns itself more with experimental cinema.
Akram Khan's "Creature" reminds me of Guillermo Del Toro's "The Shape of Water" from a few years ago, as it shares many common themes and narrative elements. Here, we have the eponymous Creature being experimented on by what appears to be an industrial space colonizing regime, and who eventually befriends Marie the maid after seeing her no different to himself; trapped in an uncaring world with only her dreams of breaking free her sole solace. Dealing with themes of isolation, connection, and freedom, the production compellingly advocates for empathy and humanity, contrasting them with the perversion of power and greed. Despite the absence of dialogue (of course, it's ballet), the production is remarkably stentorian and precise in its expression, conveying a profound sense of empathy within its eerie, otherworldly setting. This is greatly aided by the acting which is as exceptional as I've seen in any theatrical production, the choreography which feels so alien yet so sacramental, as well as the thoughtfully claustrophobic production design.
As much as I appreciated nearly everything about this production, there was one aspect that I feel compelled to critique: its over-the-top editing. Not only were there numerous bizarre editing choices that detracted from the film's impact by being excessive, but they also occasionally felt intrusive, which proved somewhat annoying. The film stood strong on its own with its technical prowess and didn't necessarily require post-production embellishments to underscore what had already been effectively conveyed. In my opinion, this was its single most significant flaw, albeit not a damning one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this production for its departure from the norm in ballet. With an experimental approach to cinema that I often find compelling, "Creature" positions itself at the intersection of both worlds. It's not something that I will ever be comfortable recommending to most audiences, given its somewhat inaccessible nature, but for the right audience, it's undoubtedly a worthwhile experience.
Akram Khan's "Creature" reminds me of Guillermo Del Toro's "The Shape of Water" from a few years ago, as it shares many common themes and narrative elements. Here, we have the eponymous Creature being experimented on by what appears to be an industrial space colonizing regime, and who eventually befriends Marie the maid after seeing her no different to himself; trapped in an uncaring world with only her dreams of breaking free her sole solace. Dealing with themes of isolation, connection, and freedom, the production compellingly advocates for empathy and humanity, contrasting them with the perversion of power and greed. Despite the absence of dialogue (of course, it's ballet), the production is remarkably stentorian and precise in its expression, conveying a profound sense of empathy within its eerie, otherworldly setting. This is greatly aided by the acting which is as exceptional as I've seen in any theatrical production, the choreography which feels so alien yet so sacramental, as well as the thoughtfully claustrophobic production design.
As much as I appreciated nearly everything about this production, there was one aspect that I feel compelled to critique: its over-the-top editing. Not only were there numerous bizarre editing choices that detracted from the film's impact by being excessive, but they also occasionally felt intrusive, which proved somewhat annoying. The film stood strong on its own with its technical prowess and didn't necessarily require post-production embellishments to underscore what had already been effectively conveyed. In my opinion, this was its single most significant flaw, albeit not a damning one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this production for its departure from the norm in ballet. With an experimental approach to cinema that I often find compelling, "Creature" positions itself at the intersection of both worlds. It's not something that I will ever be comfortable recommending to most audiences, given its somewhat inaccessible nature, but for the right audience, it's undoubtedly a worthwhile experience.