Things are about to get grim for Toledo Ballet, but only in a good way.
The company will mount its latest production, Tales of Grimm ..., dances based on the fairy tale landscape of the Brothers Grimm, Saturday and Sunday at the Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., Toledo.
“The genre of the show is dance theater, and the choreography consists mainly of concert style contemporary in order to place the brothers in a more contemporary/modern-day environment,” said company artistic director Michael Lang. “Classical ballet would not have worked in my opinion; and luckily, my dancers are well-equipped at both.”
Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were a pair of university-trained scholars in the German town of Hannau. They spent much of their adult lives collecting more than 200 fairy tales and other examples of folklore that had been passed down through oral tradition. In committing these tales to paper, they preserved them for posterity.
Peculiar to the Grimms’ approach is a gritty darkness that does not gloss over the nastier details. Evil stepsisters cut off toes and heels; wicked witches end up baking in red hot, fiery ovens. Imbedded in these stories is a subtle lesson for the peasant populace: “Don’t go into the forest alone at night, and avoid the nobility at all costs.”
Choreographer Lang uses this darkly veiled world to explore the disconnected nature of modern life.
“The Brothers Grimm find themselves in a sea of modern-day people who are obliviously walking while staring at their hands (which represents our current gadgets and cell phones).
A large ship mast and sail mysteriously appears. The Brothers Grimm suddenly realize that this tattered literary ‘ship’ is slowly fading away and sailing into the distance on its final voyage. They frantically try to rewrite their tales as an attempt of compromise with their newly found society/surroundings in hopes of saving their stories and the idea of books in general from completely dissolving.”
Into this modern milieu walk characters straight out of their tales: Storybook Red (Lauren Woodward), Briar Rose (Nora Light), Hansel and Gretel (Sydney Mack and Fiona Barnhizer), Rapunzel (Semira Warrick), and Rumpelstiltskin (Phillipe Taylor), to name a few.
“This show is such a twist on these tales and will not be what anyone is expecting,” Lang said. “The retold stories have a unique connection to the originals, and yet, are profoundly relative and anchored in today.”
Toledo Ballet Executive Director Mari Davies concurred: “This unique twist on Grimm’s Fairy Tales places these literary brothers of the 1800s smack into the middle of modern-day society. Perplexed by the antics of our 21st century lifestyle, the brothers’ vivid and iconic characters literally dance off the page to pull inhabitants of our screen-obsessed, social-media age back into the world of books — and into the stories they thought they knew so well.”
The subject matter prompted Lang to employ a different slant on his dance vocabulary.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have such an artistic playground in which to create work that actually says something! I’m not sure that art can necessarily change the world at large, but I do feel it is important in keeping our lines of communication open and to encourage, and or enhance, one’s thoughts and views.”
He said even the title hints at the artistic mission of the production. “The title is Tales of Grimm … The dot dot dot is actually a part of the title. It is intended to lead the viewer into other ideas.”
As for the dark tone of the original stories, Lang said, “Initially, I was worried about the Grimm tone (pun intended) of these original tales. There is definitely a dark undertone to this show, but I am happy with the morally based through-line that encourages young and old alike to put down their gadgets and pick up a book.”
Music for the dance is an eclectic mix drawn from Ravel, Bach, Bartók, and Chopin. Sets are designed by James Hill, costumes by Doris Piercefield, lighting by Tim Durham, and sound design and stage management is by Robert Koenig.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., Toledo. Tickets at 419-242- 2787 or toledoballet.net/ticketsevents/upcoming-performances.
Contact Wayne F. Anthony at: classics@theblade.com.
First Published April 23, 2017, 4:00 a.m.
