Review: COMPAŇÍA MARCO FLORES - RAYUELA, Sadler's Wells East
Three artists reimagine flamenco as a universal game
Part of the Flamenco Festival at Sadler's Wells, Compañía Marco Flores brings Rayuela to the London stage. The word 'rayuela' is the Spanish translation of 'hopscotch' and is inspired by both the children's game and Julio Cortázar’s novel of the same name, widely regarded as one of the most influential works of Latin American literature.
The production showcases three exceptional artists: Flores himself, dancer; Alfredo Tejada, singer; and José Tomás, guitarist. It isn't just traditional flamenco but a blend of styles including tap and contemporary dance, suggesting how flamenco has evolved into what it is today. Now in his mid-40s, Flores created his company in 2010, with a new show premiering each year.
Tejada is a remarkable flamenco singer who hardly needs the head microphone to send his voice across the auditorium. He has great style, fun, and intensity, and his interplay with Flores transcends any language barriers related to what he is singing. However, I found it difficult to follow the ideas behind Rayuela at times because of this slight disconnect.
Flores and his collaborators see flamenco as a game of risk, mischievousness, and arrogance. He is a dancer who is athletic, graceful, humorous, and open. Whether he playfully wiggles his hips, presses his forehead to Tejada's, or curls up on the floor, he is a magnetic presence. When he emerges from the haze and his body casts a shadow on the back wall, he is mysterious.
Tomás has a couple of solos that showcase his command of flamenco strumming, melody, and intricacy. Tejada, as well as displaying a marvellous vocal energy, keeps the flow of the performance going with hand claps and vocal calls. Flamenco is a complex art form that shares some elements with the bullfight while exploring, in Flores' expression, queer identity.
This is a performance that celebrates male flamenco dance with its intense footwork, rapid heel-work, and strong posture. Flores challenges, but with elegance. However, if you seek a narrative or story, you will not find it in Rayuela. In its place, you find scenes and sequences that seem to tell a tale, but I could only guess at what the songs are telling us - perhaps about love, friendship, loss, devilry, and rejoicing.
Coming at the end of Sadler's Wells' Flamenco Festival, Rayuela has that end-of-term, finale feel, and the audience - a group of latecomers aside - were warm in their applause and jaleo (those shouts of 'Olé!'). I came away knowing much more about the art form than I did before, having only previously seen female practitioners of the art with their flowing dresses and vibrant colours.
For Flores, Olga Pericet's costume design captures a traditional look with some knowing tweaks, with Paul Smith's costume for the "Déjate de Milongas" element adding haute couture to the beauty of the dancer's movement. Director and dramaturgist Francisco López offers a peek behind the curtain of this traditional Spanish art form as Reyuela brings a fusion of art, words, and humanity to the London stage - yet the parts are, for me, not always cohesive as a whole if you seek a narrative.
Reyuela is part of the Sadler's Wells Flamenco Festival.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of production
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