Russell Maliphant Dance Company: Landscapes | Review

A brief review of a brief evening. I suppose there’s something to be said about the pedestrian pace of these three solo dances, even if the Sadler’s Wells East stage seemed, at least from my vantage point, far too big for one dancer at a time. Each of the dances is increasingly more abstract, and thus open to interpretation. Proceedings begin with Afterlight, in which the performance space, thanks to some nifty lighting, is almost absurdly small, before it eventually, and briefly, expands, before contracting again. It suggests, at least to me, that Daniel Proietto’s character was in a struggle to breakout of a confined space, and having finally achieved it, somehow found that pleasure is fleeting, and got sucked back into a restricted area once more.

The second performance, Two, started off in much the same vein, although Alina Cojocaru seemed to have more enjoyment in dance and movement within a square of light. There was much more of the sort of thing one usually sees in a dance performance, and it built to a crescendo of sorts.

In A Landscape saw Russell Maliphant, now in his sixties, perform his own work. I’m still not sure what to make of the most immediate recollection being that there was a moment in which the audience watches him lying still. But there are drapes and curtains, shadows and shades. I’m afraid I haven’t a clue what it was actually about. If it’s all about the dance and movement, rather than the narrative, why did he keep stopping and standing still?

Some in the audience found it rather mesmerising. I might have done in a smaller theatre, but in a space built to accommodate considerably larger companies, it all felt rather distant. That said, it is to be commended for providing nuance and steady movement, in contrast to the many very loud and very busy dance performances out there. A curious trio of dances that didn’t quite have a ‘wow’ factor, I couldn’t help but think that some of the lighting and scenery were reminiscent of computer screensavers.

Review by Chris Omaweng

Landscapes brings together three powerful solos that reveal Russell Maliphant’s distinctive artistry: dialogues between movement, light, and sound, through collaboration with his team of award-winning artists.

Afterlight
Choreographer/Director Russell Maliphant
Performer Daniel Proietto
Lighting Design Michael Hulls
Video Animation Design Jan Urbanowski
Music Erik Satie‘s “Gnossiennes 1-4,” performed by Dustin Gledhill
Costume Design Stevie Stewart
Collaborative Assistant / Rehearsal Director Dana Fouras
Technician & Production Manager Tom Curtis
Stage Manager Stuart Comley
Operations & Project Management Elena Popova

Two
Choreographer / Director Russell Maliphant
Performer Alina Cojocaru
Lighting Design Michael Hulls
Music Andy Cowton
Costume Design Stevie Stewart
Collaborative Assistant/Rehearsal Director Dana Fouras
Technician & Production Management Tom Curtis
Stage Manager Stuart Comley
Operations & Project Manager Elena Popova

In A Landscape
Choreographer/Director Russell Maliphant
Performer Russell Maliphant
Lighting Design Panagiotis Tomaras
Music Dana Fouras
Costume Design Stevie Stewart
Rehearsal Director Dana Fouras
Technical & Production Manager Tom Curtis
Stage Manager Stuart Comley
Operations & Project Management Elena Popova

RUSSELL MALIPHANT DANCE COMPANY: LANDSCAPES
Sadler’s Wells East
11 to 14 March 2026