Live Performance Review: Ballet Preljocaj: And Then, One Thousand Years Of Peace (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2012), Sunday 19.08.2012 19:30 The Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh 

This work got off to a good start, the soundtrack was thunderous from the off with jarring industrial ambient sounds (accompanied by lighting that was agresive in the rapidity of its movement). The modernist aural aspect did occasionally collapse to allow for strains of Beethoven. The abstract soundscape, created by D.J. Laurent Garnier was consistently of a high standard and I very much enjoyed throughout the performance. The lighting was also a strong aspect, which along with the sound created much of the environment for the piece.

The dance appeared to go through periods of showing destruction, to peace and then build up to conflict again. I felt there were far too many periods within the piece and it made the performance feel choppy and fragmented. There were times also when the dance (and also at times the lighting) was discordant with the patterns of movement suggested by the sound. Discord itself though may be the point of the performance, and I simply don't get it.

The dancing was very good, with a high degree of graceful movements and  synchronicity being displayed. Preljocaj has said that the piece is not to be read in a literal way and elements have been left purposefully interpretive. Despite this clearly being the case, I felt it difficult to know how to feel at the end of the show, with the stage being covered in unfurled drenched flags of various nations and a couple of lambs being played with on top of this. The ending did feel pretentious.

Rating: 07/10.