'A Life in Four Seasons' review — Vivaldi's seminal work becomes a vibrant showcase for dance

Read our review of A Life in Four Seasons, now in performances at Regent's Park Open Air to 14 June.

Summary

• Tinuke Craig directs new dance production A Life in Four Seasons
• The show is premiering at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• It uses Vivaldi's seminal work
• Standouts include Tanesha Aba and Michael Naylor

Antonio Vivaldi’s seminal 1725 composition The Four Seasons was one of the first examples of ‘program music’: designed to tell a particular story. So, it would seem appropriate for director Tinuke Craig to use it to tell another tale through contemporary dance – that of a trio of friends growing progressively older – as the music of the seasons changes. The result is a visually appealing production with many good ideas, some of which work better than others.

Vivaldi paired each of his four violin concertos with an Italian sonnet, splitting them into three movements. Each movement follows a fast-slow-fast tempo structure, which allows a wide range of dance techniques and styles to be used through Alexzandra Sarmiento’s modern choreography.

The production’s description specifies the focus is three friends, but the names of Head, Heart and Gut also suggest they could all be part of the same person. The show is a demonstration of the stages of life, although more storytelling would enhance the production; Head appears to have the most defined and consistent development, showing distinct elements of doubt, consideration and confusion throughout life’s journey.

We begin with Spring: youthfully vibrant and spritely, with the standout Tanesha Aba as a joyful Heart and Beryl Tay as a more delicate Head. Summer shows youthful hedonism and the reaction to the languid heat with explosive movement from Michael Naylor’s Gut as the building storm breaks.

Autumn shows the poignancy of age progressing; the Spring dancers reappear to remind Autumn of their youth, but the latter eventually collapse with tiredness after trying to keep up with their younger selves. Finally, Winter features more measured movement from the dancers. There is careful elegance from Susan Kempster’s Head, vibrancy from Mark Smith’s Heart, and exuberance from Mami Tomotani’s Gut.

The dancers come with experience of many different disciplines of dance – from jazz to street. It’s very refreshing to see their variations in age too, as the dancers grow progressively older as the music changes. This works well particularly towards the end of the production, where Spring and Winter dance together, demonstrating the joyful enthusiasm of Spring, in contrast to the more careful, slower movements of Winter.

Ryan Dawson Laight's design keeps it simple with four concrete-looking blocks on stage and the clever use of the same colour costume for each iteration of the character.

It’s understandable, but nevertheless a shame, that the music is all prerecorded. DJ Walde’s additions vary in effectiveness, creating the most impact in the first movement of "Spring", which brings in deeply resonant drum and electro beats to represent the gathering, then thundering storm. There is also an effective dance break created after the third movement of "Summer", using an intense techno beat where Gut loses themselves in the music. Occasionally it feels like musical elements have been added for the sake of it, but overall it respects the original material.

More importantly, the production is an entertaining and vibrant showcase for dance, celebrating and embracing age rather than trying to hide it.

A Life in Four Seasons is at Regent's Park Open Air to 14 June. Book A Life in Four Seasons tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: A Life in Four Seasons (Photos by Helen Murray)