Camera IconCredit: Supplied

Graeme Murphy tribute by Australian Ballet

Stephanie GlickmanHerald Sun

REVIEW

Murphy

Where and when: State Theatre, until 26 March

Reviewer: Stephanie Glickman

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***1/2 Stars

There’s no more prolific Australian choreographer than Graeme Murphy and this packed retrospective doesn’t even tip the iceberg of the man’s extensive catalogue.

It’s 50 years since Murphy first joined The Australian Ballet and he’s never lost connection to the company, even through his decades running Sydney Dance Company. His works straddle ballet and contemporary, high art and high camp and everything in between. Alongside creative associate Janet Vernon, Murphy has done it all.

With a body of work so large, it’s not surprising that Murphy is jam-packed. The first half alone runs an extensive 90 minutes and spans five major works, from surrealist-tinged ballet to the accessible patterns and live piano accompaniment (by Scott Davie) of Grand. The centrepiece is the 1979 Sheherazade, a historical relic at this point, but central to Murphy’s oeuvre.

It’s a lot to absorb and the sheer duration takes away from some of the evening’s potential punch. While some material feels eternal, some looks, expectedly, of a past era, What it all shows is Murphy’s flair for theatrical spectacle and musical collaborations as well as an ability to use varied groups of dancers across narrative and abstract work in continually different ways.

All choreographers sculpt bodies, but Murphy takes that to another level. He turns ensembles into escalating staircases, kinetic whirlwinds and undulating spirals. His shapeshifting is endless, both in large groups and more intimate, complex partnering.

While much is an ensemble effort, individual performances — Brett Chynoweth across the whole program and Dimity Azoury and Ty King-Wall in The Silver Rose are highlights, as are the short, sharp duos of Grand.

Just as importantly as the dancers, the recreations of the large-scale set designs and an extensive musical program (under director Nicolette Frallion) shine vibrantly across the substantial production.

Originally published as Murphy the master