Review: Interplay, the mixed bill by Phoenix Dance Theatre
Matt Paluch sees four contemporary works performed by Phoenix Dance Theatre, with Pett Clausen Knight’s Small Talk showing substance over style.
| Title | Interplay |
| Company | Phoenix Dance Theatre |
| Venue | Sadler’s Wells East, London |
| Date | 26 June 2026 |
| Reviewer | Matthew Paluch |
Considering Phoenix Dance Theatre has been around for 45 years, I don’t know the company or their work well. I’m sure it’s more of a scheduling issue than anything else, and I was able to catch their latest mixed bill Interplay at Sadler’s Wells East.
The quad bill shows the company in fine form. The dancers are full of energy and deliver precise work, and everything looks extremely well rehearsed. In relation to choreography, it feels less strong.
The first two works could almost be the same piece. Next of Kin by Marcus Jarrell Willis and Why Are People Clapping?! by Ed Myhill (restaged by Camille Giraudeau) both work with the same vernacular – zingy, gestural movement that verges on the absurd. Both pieces play to the audience, use OTT facial expressions and contain comedic tropes that (somehow) still get a laugh – not from me!
As confirmed, the dancers do very good work, but it’s not enough to win me over. The one good thing is that Myhill uses Steve Reich’s Clapping Music. This is such a brilliant piece, and moments of music visualisation are much appreciated, but all in all neither work has masses to offer.
Closing the evening is Suite Release by Yusha-Marie Sorzano and Marcus Jarrell Willis. This is a new work that aims to reclaim dance as “instinct, inheritance, resistance and joy”.
In order to do so the creative duo use hip hop and dance music, language and culture to conjure a space that brims with life, soul and community. And they succeed. I like both genre but the piece feels on the long side and somewhat one dimensional creatively speaking. It’s basically an extended dance off with good vibes, which is fun for a while but then peters. That said, the choreographic skill is evident and I appreciated the overall structure and use of the space and patterning.
The most interesting work of the night was the third piece; Small Talk by Pett Clausen Knight. I’m familiar with their work, but it’s very interesting to see it danced by others as opposed to them (James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight).
So often one craves joy in contemporary dance, but when you get it, it can feel lite (see above). Small Talk isn’t unnecessarily heavy, but deals with sombre subject matter – the complexity of relationships. It’s also amazing what one can do with so little: a chair, lamp and rug, and the scene is set.
The first visual is a female standing on said rug which is being pulled very slowly backwards by her male partner. The contradiction in what we see – a yearning to escape and a desire to resist is very powerful and an admirable start.
The work includes duo and solo work, and it’s all sophisticated and original in ways. The solo work sang to me as it allows the dancer to really move with no obvious partnering agenda. Pett Clausen Knight choreograph well. Lush phrases shift level and use impactful dynamics to keep the observer engaged, and the movement doesn’t feel empty. Decisions feel born through intention, and this conveys.
Throughout, there’s clever use of the minimal set and the creative duo are always framing how you see the piece. This doesn’t feel controlling, rather like a gentle guide, and it further supports the value of the work. Dorna Ashory and Tony Polo did brilliant work with the two tormented roles, and overall, this is a piece I’d absolutely like to see again. I believe multiple viewings would show even more depth within the work.
Ballet company repertoires include contemporary dance as a default nowadays, and it can be hard to find work that feels like substance over style. Small Talk is definitely one of those and reminds me of work I’ve either seen in Scandinavia (Ella Rothschild) or by Scandinavians (Mats Ek), and that’s very good company I’d say.
Matthew Paluch was awarded a place at The Royal Ballet School in 1990 where he graduated in 1997. His first four years as a professional dancer were spent working with London City Ballet, Scottish Ballet, K-Ballet and English National Ballet, becoming a full-time member of ENB until leaving in 2006.
Matthew graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance, Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma in 2007, and was formerly on faculty at The Royal Ballet School. He completed his Masters in Ballet Studies at Roehampton University in 2011, has been a freelance writer since 2010 and currently works in the Law Sector.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
