Complicite

Yesterday's job involved interviewing Annabel Arden about her production of La boheme. She's updated it to the years immediately before World War I, allowing the last flickerings of the Belle Epoque to cross over with the first sightings of conscripts in uniform. What was particularly fascinating was to learn of her background with Theatre de Complicite, and her training in Paris and Berlin in theatrical dance. This will have an interesting impact on the production, as there's a huge amount of choreographed movement in Boheme - I'd never realised until talking to Annabel that the four Bohemians form a commedia troupe in Act 1 and again in Act 4, cavorting around with parrots and herrings, making fun of each other in the style of the Lazzi used by the Italian comedians. Inspirational stuff - it'll be fascinating to see how it works out on stage.