• Review For Us
  • List Your Show
  • Advertising
  • Musicals
  • Plays
  • Ballet & Dance
  • Previews
  • First Look
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
    • West End
    • Off-West End
    • Regional & Tours
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
  • VAULT Festival 2023
    • VAULT Previews
    • VAULT Reviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
    • West End
    • Off-West End
    • Regional & Tours
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
  • VAULT Festival 2023
    • VAULT Previews
    • VAULT Reviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
No Result
View All Result
Home Reviews
BalletBoyz Presents Them/Us. Photographer credit George Piper

BalletBoyz Presents Them/Us. Photographer credit George Piper

Review: BalletBoyz Them/Us at Vaudeville Theatre

by Greg Stewart
June 3, 2019
Reading Time: 3 mins read

Ever since the company was founded by Michel Nunn and William Trevitt, BalletBoyz has never shied away from toying with convention, no more so as the eight strong troupe make their West End debut at the Vaudeville Theatre with their enchantingly captivating double bill, Them/Us.

The production has already completed a tour and a run at Sadler’s Wells, who co-produced Them/Us, and it’s a testament to the piece that it’s now enjoying a stint in the West End.

The first piece, Them, has been choreographed by the dancers themselves alongside rehearsal director, Charlotte Pook, and the artistic directors.  In the short film that serves as a prelude, the dancers describe it as a bolognese or a pizza, signifying the different ingredients that have come together to form the final dish.

       

Dressed in brightly coloured tracksuits there’s a natural and acrobatic style to the piece.  The dancers form chains of bodies which pull each other in various directions, against the bare backdrop of an unset stage.  There’s a real sense that the Them comes out of improvisation, the dancers free-styling their own unique interpretations of the score.

The acrobatic elements come in the form of a large cube, which allows the dancers to create a stage within a stage before dragging and moving it across the space, it’s a bit like taking a cyr wheel to the next level.  The original composition from Charlotte Harding has tones of Jazz and eighties funk, it comes in fragmented pieces with space and depth between each new element.

You mightalso like

The Cast of SIX the Musical Photography credit Pamela Raith

Review: Six The Musical (2023 Cast) at The Vaudeville

The Cast of SIX the Musical Photography credit Pamela Raith 1

First Look: The New Cast of SIX at the Vaudeville Theatre

The second piece is from renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, it was originally a short duet from a previous show, which has now been expanded out for Them/Us.  You can clearly find the dividing line between the old and the new, the beginning of Us, which features all the dancers, has a regimented feel, the dancers in a kind of futuristic authoritarian outfit.  It’s tight and in sync, the dancers working together but displaying moments of individuality as they try to escape the hive.

The second half sees us return to just two dancers, it’s a love story, or perhaps a close friendship and it really is beautifully done.  Keaton Henson’s original composition for Us is reminiscent of soldiers galloping in to battle, a classical score with an edge of daring modernity.  It is this second piece which really grips the audience.

Them/Us could be summed up in a similar way to Heaton’s score.  It’s classical ballet but with an audacious contemporary streak, the simplicity and splendour of it washes over you, and has you wishing these two short pieces could last just a little bit longer.

Book Them/Us Tickets

       

 

1 of 6
- +
BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper
BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper
BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper
BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper
BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper
BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper
ADVERTISEMENT

1. BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

2. BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

3. BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

4. BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

5. BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

6. BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

BalletBoyz Presents Them Us. Photographer credit George Piper

Greg Stewart

Greg Stewart

Greg is an award-winning writer with a huge passion for theatre. He has appeared on stage, as well as having directed several plays in his native Scotland. Greg is the founder and editor of Theatre Weekly

Related Articles

The Cast of SIX the Musical Photography credit Pamela Raith
Reviews

Review: Six The Musical (2023 Cast) at The Vaudeville

The Cast of SIX the Musical Photography credit Pamela Raith 1
First Look

First Look: The New Cast of SIX at the Vaudeville Theatre

42 Balloons
News

Extra Performance Announced For The Staged West End Concert of 42 Balloons

The Broadway company of MJ. Photo by Matthew Murphy
News

Tony Award® Winning Broadway Musical ‘MJ’ To Make Its UK Premiere in March 2024

Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky (Aragon) Baylie Carson (Boleyn) Claudia Kariuki (Seymour) Dionne Ward-Anderson (Cleves) Koko Basigara (Howard) Roxanne Couch (Parr) Photo Craig Sugden Photography
News

New West End cast and a new booking period for the hit musical SIX

42 Balloons
News

Global Musicals and Alchemation Present a Staged West End Concert of 42 Balloons

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Twitter Facebook Youtube Instagram

At Theatre Weekly we give theatre a new audience. You'll find our theatre news, theatre reviews and theatre interviews are written from an audience point of view. Our great value London theatre tickets will get you the best deal for your theatre tickets.
Theatre Weekly, 124 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
  • Join Our Community
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising

Recent News

Meaghan Martin Julie Oli Higginson John Credit Lucy Hayes

Review: Smoke at Southwark Playhouse

Heathers The Musical at The Other Palace credit PamelaRaith

Heathers The Musical Tour Cast Announced

© 2022 Theatre Weekly

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Tickets
  • Digital Theatre
  • News
    • West End
    • Off West End
    • Regional & Tours
    • Digital
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • VAULT Festival 2023
    • Vault Previews
    • VAULT Reviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer

© 2022 Theatre Weekly