The recent much touted premiere of “Kill Your Darlings,” danced by the Nederlands Dans Theater at La Hague, left this reviewer the Hobson’s Choice of how to say something positive about something intrinsically negative.
First the bad: The choreography by Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal is ostentatiously nihilist and anarchistically constructed to purportedly reflect in their creation: “a raw and emotional new creation, exploring what happens to the body when it becomes addicted to anticipation.” Well, Boo- Hoo the work is pure forgettable drivel: clouded by the obscurantism of the Darth Vader of lighting Tom Visser; unsupported by the trash hashed playlist music of Raphaëlle Latini!
All this backed by a hysterical clack of angst driven applause which did nothing to render the work more palatable.
Now the good: the heroic dancing of the dancers who shone through a completely banal and forgettable mishappen travesty of a creation.
***************************************************************************************
SAABA-©Rahi-Rezvani-2026
The second work on the evening’s program was a rehash of an old work “SAABA” by the choreographers Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar.
The work is an example of the “take the money and run mentality” of the creators who do nothing to advance the creative repertoire of the company, and it commits the ultimate sin of being boring in the extreme.
Again, the only positive reflection possible is to congratulate the marvelous long-suffering dancers of the company who deserve better than this mediocre evening.
*************************************************************************************************************
Artists and Technicians
Kill Your Darlings
Choreography: Imre van Opstal & Marne van Opstal
Dancers: Joey Gertin, César Sautès-Vescovali, Justin Padilla, Nathan Allen,
Maša Anić, Eliana Hayward, Giovanna Doria, Ruth Lee,
Joan Jansana Escobedo, Nathanaël Plantier, Nathaniel Belnavis-Wright,
Chléa Guiguère, Esmee Boevink, Erin Park, and Sophia Frilot
MUSIC
New composition by Raphaëlle Latini
New composition by Raphaëlle Latini
Erik Van Der Werff, Hermannus J. Herman Van Veen: Opzij. (P) 1977 Universal International Music B.V.
AZYR, KXD, HIGHVØLTAGE: Power Of The Bassline
Academy of Ancient Music: Funeral Canticle
LIGHT DESIGN
Tom Visser
SET DESIGN
Tom Visser, Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal
COSTUME DESIGN
Imre van Opstal and Marne van Opstal in collaboration with the NDT Costume Atelier
NDT REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Ander Zabala
WORLD PREMIERE
DURATION
±30 minutes
- 20-minute pause –
******************************************************************************************************
SAABA
Choreography: Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar
Dancers: Nathan Allen, Maša Anić, Sophia Frilot, Joey Gertin, Eliana Hayward,
Giovanna Doria, Esmee Boevink, Nathaniel Belnavis-Wright,
Nathanaël Plantier, César Sautès-Vescovali, Miquel Martinez Pedro,
Justin Padilla, Erin Park, Chléa Guiguère, Joan Jansana Escobedo
De voorstelling
STAGED BY
Leo Lerus
MUSIC
Composition by Ori Lichtik.
Avaq: From the and 15.
Mboumba Patrice: Chant et sanza, licensed courtesy of Cézame Music Agency.
Mega Bog: Station to Station. © Third Side Music Inc o/b/o Fire Songs (PRS). Courtesy of Paradise of Bachelors, by arrangement with Terrorbird Media.
LIGHT DESIGN
Alon Cohen
COSTUME DESIGN
Sharon Eyal
NDT REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Lydia Bustinduy
WORLD PREMIERE GÖTEBORGSOPERANS DANSKOMPANI
October 20, 2021, the Göteborg Opera
NDT PREMIERE
March 26, 2026, Amare, The Hague
DURATION
±35 minutes