• Advertise
  • Request Review
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy
  • Login

Theatre Bubble

The UK Theatre Network





  • Reviews
  • News
  • Features
  • Spotlight
  • Opinions
  • Interviews
  • Guides
  • Ed Fringe

The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk at Shoreditch Town Hall

February 5, 2018 by Tom Brocklehurst Leave a Comment

Review of: The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk

Reviewed by:
Rating:
4
On February 5, 2018
Last modified:February 5, 2018

Summary:

Beautifully produced and well acted, but it lacks anything unique to set it apart from the rest of the Kneehigh oeuvre.

More Details

Kneehigh resurrect their award-winning biographical show about Marc Chagall and his wife Bella. First performed in 1992 under the direction of Emma Rise, it’s easy to see why Kneehigh have chosen to continue this piece year after year . The two leads are charming, the music is consistently wonderful, and the physical choreography is often intensely impressive (despite there being no flying involved, to this reviewer’s disappointment). The actors are slightly clownish, but nonetheless manage to continuelly portray an earnest picture of love- which resonates perfectly with Chagall’s expressionistic and romantic painting style.

Starting with their meeting in Vitebsk as youngsters, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk follows Bella and Marc’s lasting romance through the First World War and Russian Revolution to old age. The lyrical movement sections retain their otherworldly beauty, the set splashes with pinks, oranges and aquamarines – the outward gorgeousness of the piece is definitely alluring. However, a sense remains that this is rather ‘Kneehigh-by-numbers’. The issue with continuing a piece that has been around for more than 20 years is, rather inevitably, the company progresses to astound and amaze while that piece stays very much as a representation of their beginning. All the different elements that intertwine to become The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk have been picked up and extended in other productions, leaving Flying Lovers itself to become less and less special.

This is not to say the piece isn’t well done, but if you’ve seen a Kneehigh show before, there is likely nothing in this that will surprise you. Another flaw with the two-person nature of the piece is the difficulty in creating any sense of jeopardy. Having lived through the start of World War 1 and the Russian revolution, there is never any overriding sense of terror, the entire period boiled down to a couple of mentions of being hungry. Vitebsk was then largely destroyed in WW2 and most of the Jews massacred – this is barely dwelt upon.

Overall, it’s a story of two characters growing old together; their young love, their arguments, their reminiscing about their young love. It’s beautifully produced and well acted, but it perhaps lacks anything unique to set it apart from the rest of the Kneehigh oeuvre.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Review Tagged With: Emma Rice, Flying Lovers, Kneehigh

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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




MOST RECENT

Tartuffe

Tartuffe

Director’s Cut at the Vaults

Director’s Cut at the Vaults

Father (Vader) at Barbican Theatre

Father (Vader) at Barbican Theatre

Cuzco at Theatre503

Cuzco at Theatre503

Welcome to the UK at the Bunker Theatre

Welcome to the UK at the Bunker Theatre

Top Posts & Pages

  • Katy Owen: LAMDA Audition (First Round)
  • 10 Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Reality TV Auditions
  • Writing the Perfect Press Release
  • Crowdfunding In Theatre - An Overview
  • Joseph Grimaldi Clown Memorial Service
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2018: Interview with Katy Dye
  • Is this the real location of Ambridge?
  • Image of an Unknown Young Woman - The Gate Theatre
  • The Cherry Orchard- a translation for modern times and a modern audience? The Young Vic
  • Tom Brocklehurst
    Author

  • February 5th, 2018
  • comment iconNo Comments
  • Newsletter

    Enjoyed what you've read? Get even more great content directly to your inbox - Completely Free

    About Theatre Bubble

    Theatre Bubble is the news, review and blogging site created by Blue Pie Media and run by a dedicated team of outstanding editors and writers: we're always looking for new contributors - to find out more click here.

    Contact Us

    News: news@theatrebubble.com
    Reviews: reviews@theatrebubble.com
    Website: webmaster@theatrebubble.com

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2019 · Blue Pie Media

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.