The arts writer’s path is limited, especially when of necessity it is concentrated on the areas of music and theater. An odd paucity of openings during recent weeks offered an opportunity to explore beyond the ordinary straight and narrow, to enjoy a literary work and a dance program, and to explore in deeper than usual fashion the June 4 theater section of the Sunday New York Times. Rewards lurked everywhere, and warm days afforded time outdoors in shady places where I merely enjoyed the drama that life provides all on its own.
On the page
The first meander was into an advance copy of British historian Peter Ackroyd’s newest book, a quickly read 213-page novel titled “The Lambs of London.” The slim volume appeared at my door, thanks to the publishing gods who know my taste and interests. Ackroyd, you most likely know, is the author of “Shakespeare: The Biography,” one of last year’s larger literary hits, coming in at an impressive and rather dry 518 pages of Shakespearian life and lore.
Ackroyd’s juicy novel concerns essayist Charles Lamb, his sister Mary (with whom he wrote “Tales of Shakespeare” for children), and a literary hoax. It gives one a delicious sense of early 19th century London, in which Richard Brinsley Sheridan wrote and produced plays. Mary befriends an ambitious young antiquarian bookseller and aspiring journalist named William Ireland. He apparently discovers a lost play by Shakespeare that is subsequently produced by Sheridan. Ackroyd deftly creates a fascinating and suspenseful page-turner that causes the unwary reader to read it all in one sitting.
On the stage
A second excursion off the beaten path on Sunday, June 4, led to the Saville Auditorium at San Diego City College. There one found a literal world of dance, this year’s edition of “Blurred Borders,” a festival begun in 1996 by choreographer/artistic director Patricia Rincon of the Patricia Rincon Dance Collective (PRDC). “Blurred Borders” was produced by PRDC in conjunction with the San Diego Dance Alliance and sponsored by City College department of visual and performing arts.
In addition to Rincon’s own, featured groups were Daghdha Dance Company of Ireland; solo artist Liam Clancy, an assistant professor at University of California San Diego (UCSD) department of theatre and dance; and Tijuana-based Ricardo Peralta Danza Performa. It got even more international than that during an intermission tête-à-tête with Daghdha artistic director/choreographer Michael Klien, whose work, “Once Beneath the Skin” was set on Greek dancer Angie Smalis to a live performance by Canadian pianist Francoise Papillon of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Klien hails from Austria.
The evening’s music swept in interesting fashion from the excellently played Bach through a panoply of composers. Very clever, funny and attractive, Clancy performed Paolo Conte’s “Blue Tangos” on the floor and used Kimson Albert and Dave Kesner’s “Office Mix” while introducing an invisible new hire to the corporation and all its machinery. The 1998 piece, equal parts performance art, dance and theater, is titled “The Orientation.”
Vivaldi arranged by Bobby McFerrin and Yo Yo Ma provided the sound for “Dolores and Lola,” affectingly danced by Raffaella Judd and Elizabeth Licea.
The premiere of Rincon’s “Viewpoint” was the program’s high point and culminating work. Danced to percussive music by Franz Treichler and Nitin Sawhnewey, it is set on an extremely expressive six-member company, imaginatively costumed by Kathryn Gould. The frighteningly familiar work concerns the passive-aggressive nature of contemporary American manners. Rincon is a senior lecturer at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where she has trained dancers for the past 27 years.
In additional dance news, UCSD Theatre and Dance presents “We Dance / Our Dances” on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 8-10. The work of student choreographers is featured, directed by Jean Isaacs.
“We Dance / Our Dances” will be performed at 8 p.m. June 8-9, and 2 and 8 p.m. June 10, at La Jolla Playhouse’s Sheila & Hughes Potiker Theatre on the UCSD campus, 9500 Gilman Drive. Visit http://theatre.ucsd.edu/onstage/wedance06 for information.