Compass At Sadler’s Wells
Last night we went to see Compass at Sadler’s Wells. It was another exciting and moving performance put together by Jane Hacket, as part of the Sadler’s Wells creative learning department. As we waited in the foyer sipping our G and T’s a few of the young dancers came and did little performances amongst the waiting public. It was very funny to watch the incoming audiences reaction of admiration and embarrassment all at the same time.
We then went into the auditorium and just as we were about to sit down we were told that the row we were sitting in was expected to get up and dance at the end of the performance. Einhorn went white as a sheet and tried to run but we managed to hold him down until the lights went down. We would cross that bridge when we came to it and so we sat back in our seats to enjoy the show, (just as a picture of Einhorn flashed into my mind of The Silver Fox at his daughters wedding, on the dance floor, throwing ‘his arms in the air like he don’t care’ and doing ‘The Hustle’…hmmmm it might be me doing a run for it…)
Anyway what to say about the show. As you know dear readers I am not a critic. Yes I am critical but that is a different thing altogether, and if you had to put up with what I put up with day to day, I dare say you would be critical too!
To me Compass incorporates what art is for. I think art is a reflection of the world we live in, as translated or interpreted by the artists who create the work. What they are saying is either understood or not understood by the us the public who see it. There is either a connection or not. Sometimes I don’t believe there is anything that the artist is trying to say at all and it’s just…what shall I make now? There’s no intention, it’s just art for attention.
Compass is different. It has a very strong message and connects emotionally with its audience. From the moment the curtain went up we were transfixed. CJ Einhorn put his sweets down and didn’t fidget once. We love these shows, the mixture of people taking part, the music, the staging, the different ages, all dancing together, all getting their chance to contribute. It’s like a Utopia on stage and we all want to be involved. What always knocks me out is also the sheer talent of some of the dancers who are taking part, and the sheer professionalism of the entire show, it was stunning.
This is what I want my tax to be spent on. Not taxis for MP’s, not bailing out failing banks, not changing the bus lanes for the Olympics, not the Cross-rail, (we’ve had a 66% business rate rise just for that, thanks very much!) I want my taxes to go towards projects like this that give everyone in the community a chance to be creative and to really shine, and they really did last night!
