**** Highly Recommended The Joffrey Ballet’s performance of Atonement was absolutely magnificent! Words just don’t do it justice! I thought Cathy Marston’s Jane Eyre was the ultimate in translating beloved stories into passionate dance experiences, but I was wrong. I was there when the Joffrey dancers brought Ian McEwan’s novel to life. The Joffrey dancers are the best – talented dancers, athletes and actors What an incredible experience! 4 BIG Spotlights
Members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, conducted by Scott Speck, provide the music. The production was staged by Adam Blyde and Anastacia Holden with Stage Design by Michael Levine. The costumes were designed by Bregje Van Balen.
Marston’s choreography has an uncanny ability to tell a story. When her choreography is combined with Laura Rossi’s lyrical score, the experience is sublime. The Joffrey dancers expressed childhood innocence, young love, jealousy, anger, grief and even redemption through their movements.
On opening night, the part of Briony Tallis, the central character in Atonement, was danced by Yumi Kanazawa. I will be mentioning the dancers I saw that night, but you probably will see different dancers in these parts on a different day.
On a weekend in 1935, the Tallis family and a few friends gather at their country estate. Emily Tallis (Olivia Duryea) and her daughters, Cecelia (Amanda Assucena) and Briony, and son, Leon (Xavier Núñez), are joined by cousins, Lola Quincey (Valeria Chaykina) and the twins Jackson (Samuel Beukenkamp) and Pierrot (Sheppard Littrell), and Leon’s friend, Paul Marshall (Jonathon Dole).
The Tallis staff includes the housekeeper, Grace Turner (Anais Bueno), her son Robby (Alberto Velazquez), the maid, Betsy (Natali That) and the handyman, Hardman, (Jackson Miles). Robby grew up with the Tallis children as his playmates.
Robby and Cecelia, who are in love, steal away from the party to have a few minutes alone. Their intimate pas de deux expressing all the passion of young love left me breathless! Unfortunately, Briony, who fancies herself in love with Robby, sees the couple together. Meanwhile, an attack occurs. When the Police Officers (Davide Oldano and Paolo Randon) question everyone, Briony accuses Robby, who is arrested.
In Act II, Briony has joined a ballet company. The Ballet mistress and company members are Gayeon Jung, Stefan Gonçalvez, Jeraldine Mendoza, Lauren Quinn, Miu Tanaka, Ao Wang, Evan Boersma, Maxwell Dawe
Robby is in prison. The Guard and other prisoners include Jackson Miles, Edson Barbosa, Guillem Cabrera Espinach, José Pablo Castro Cuevas, Derek Drilon, Hyuma Kiyosawa, Davide Oldano, Wictor Hugo Pedrosa, Paolo Randon, Scott Reed, Aaron Renteria, Ryo Sasaki
When the war starts, Cecilia becomes a nurse. Matron & Nurses are Lucia Connolly, Coco Alvarez-Mena Valeria Chaykina, Tenley Connors, Anabelle de la Nuez, Dara Holmes, Amanda Illuminati, Nae Kojima, Lindy Mesmer, Basia Rhoden, Natali Tahht, Dala Bowman.
Everyone is involved in the war effort including the Defense Officer and many Civilians: Aaron Renteria, Coco Alvarez-Mena, Lucia Connolly, Tenley Connors, Anabelle de la Nuez, Olivia Duryea, Dara Holmes, Amanda Illuminati, Nae Kojima, Lauren Quinn, Basia Rhoden, Natali That, Ao Wang, Edson Barbosa, Mazwell Dawe, Fernando Duarte, Hansol Jeong, Blake Kessler, Hyuma Kiyosawa, Zachary Manske Valentino Moneglia Zamora, Davide Oldano, Wictor Hugo Pedroso
When Robby is offered the opportunity to have his sentence commuted if he becomes a soldier, he enlists. He marches with an Officer and other Soldiers: Dylan Gutierrez, Edson Barbosa, Maxwell Dawe, Derek Drilon, Fernando Duarte, Hansol Jeong, Blake Kessler, Hyuma Kiyosawa, Zachary Manske, Valentino Moneglia Zamora, Davide Oldano, Wictor Hugo Pedroso, Paolo Randon, Alberto Velazquez
After the war, Robby comes home, proposes to Cecelia. Their wedding is celebrated at the Tallis country home by the Vicar and several wedding guests: Paul Rivard, Gayeon Jung, Lauren Quinn Ao Wang, Seehyun Kim, Fernando Duarte, Blake Kessler, Jackson Miles, Scott Reed, Aaron Renteria.
After applause and a curtain call, the epilogue begins. The older Briony (Victoria Jaiani), voiced by Kate Strong, interviewed by Matt Wolf, reveals that she is the author and a famous choreographer. She explains that although she gave her sister and Robby their happily ever after in her ballet, she’s dealing with guilt and grief because they were actually killed during the war – Robby in combat somewhere, Cecilia in a bombing in London.
The Joffrey Ballet performs Atonement through October 27th at the Lyric Opera House, 20 North Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago. Running time is approximately 2 hours, 20 minutes with a 20-minute intermission. Tickets start at $36. FYI 312.386.8905 or joffrey.org.
Next up at Joffrey: Christopher Wheeldon’s Chicago-centric “The Nutcracker”, December 6th through 28th. More information and tickets can be found at www.joffrey.org.