Review: REUNION - ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET at Sadler's Wells

Before we get to the main business of the dancing, let's focus on what tonight is really all about: the moment the lights go down and there is an announcement, "Welcome to this performance of Reunion by English National Ballet", followed by that unique sound of applause and cheering from a socially distanced audience that lasts nearly a minute. If you didn't already have a lump in your throat from the sight of a velvet curtain and an overpriced glass of wine in a plastic cup, you will now.

And what a joyous selection of work to return to. Perfectly programmed to follow a theatrical hiatus, Reunion features short pieces that are accessible to watch and are easy on the attention span. In these five new works by a blend of established and emerging choreographers, it is, interestingly, the emerging ones who come out on top.

Former Bolshoi star Yuri Possokhov's Senseless Kindness is a wonderful reintroduction to dance post-COVID. All moody strings, set to Shostakovich's Piano Trio No 1, it frames the two featured couples with elegance and pathos. Its source is Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate about a Russian family caught in the Second World War, but the narrative feels more of a backdrop than a central theme. The piece is danced by a strong quartet including Lead Principals Isaac Hernandez and Francesco Gabriele Frola. However it's Emma Hawes and Alison McWhinney who shine brightly here. These First Soloists' fluid style, beautifully placed lines and stretched-out arabesques perfectly suit the material, and they glide dreamily in the sweeping lifts of the mournful pas de deux.

The Reunion programme was first seen as part of ENB's digital season. Both Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's Laid in Earth and Russell Maliphant's Echoes worked well due to the atmospheric contributions of gothic sets, shimmering lights and camera trickery but they feel less impactful on the stage. Laid in Earth still feels cinematic, set to a score that moves from classical to electronic. Erina Takahashi and Precious Adams ripple delicately across the stage, the former sharing obvious chemistry with James Streeter in a powerful pas de deux that highlights his strength and her fragility.

Maliphant's Echoes is, as one might expect, an intricate work of pyrotechnics, impressive to watch but unfortunately not a showcase for the dancers when performed live. The imagery is still enjoyable, though, and the final moments that see the last remaining dancer slowly fade away amongst glints of light provides a spectacle.

That leaves the two star-picks in this selection box of new dance. Stina Quagebeur admits herself (having previously danced with ENB before moving to choreography) that her knowledge of the company and the dancers' strengths and weaknesses have aided her here, and the payoff isTake Five Blues, a work that feels mature, accomplished, and is danced with flair and fun. Set to Nigel Kennedy's Take Five, a contemporary take on Bach, this is a spirited number with punchy interplay between the eight dancers. They hurtle through the choreography with relish, the latter half breaking off into a more improvised feel that is no less engaging for the change of tone.

Arielle Smith's Jolly Folly is a perfect closer for this joyful occasion. Don't overthink or over-analyse it, this at heart is Charlie Chaplin-inspired high-jinks, with exaggerated motifs and moves, visual comedy and powerhouse acrobatics. Both the men and women in this cast of eight are dressed in matching tuxedos. Francesca Velicu and Julia Conway prompt laughs in a hyped-up boxing match, while Joseph Caley and Rhys Antoni-Yeomans are similarly impressive, their energy not dipping for a moment in the continued pirouettes, jumps and falls all delivered with musical panache.

Reunion runs at Sadler's Wells until May 30.

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