The Cholmondeleys and The Featherstonehaughs, Precious

Review in Issue 5-2 | Summer 1993

Undoubtedly one of Lea Anderson's better efforts to date, with costumes collaboratively styled by ‘flavour of the month’ designer Sandy Powell. The performance started with an atypical flurry of movements that trangressed into colour tableaux. These seemed to indicate synoptic stages of existence (white for mirrored references to crucifixion), knowledge experience (an Egyptian essence of gold), and visionary fulfilment. Anderson herself, although at times appearing to be unclear both facially and bodily, displayed an upper thoracic spinal tilt that demonstrated intrinsic details of the style. By wise collaborations which have included Powell's costume and Drostan Madden's sound, Lea Anderson has contributed to dance composition by compounding that the ultimate value of her work is its choreographic value and aesthetic ‘look’ – anyone can do it from any background with direction for clarity of statement; and even just for that she will be remembered. The raw power not evident since Flag (1989) and the relaxing repose not seen since Cold Sweat (1990) combine here to create a clever inventive swansong of rare beauty.

Presenting Venue
Date Seen
  1. Apr 1993

This article in the magazine

Issue 5-2
p. 17