“In the 1980s, alongside my own practice, I was working as a freelance choreographer on mainstream theatre and film productions. I learnt a huge amount within these other sectors and had the opportunity to work with extraordinary artists and collaborators (Breath of Kings, for example, reflected how much I had absorbed from working with actors and my desire to push the boundaries of words and movement) … this work enabled me to keep developing as an artist and helped to shape my ideas about interdisciplinary performance training.”
Extract from Choreographies – Tracing the Materials of an Ephemeral Art Form, ch.3/48, by Jacky Lansley; published by Intellect Books (2017)
Jacky Lansley interview by Andy Solway, New Dance Magazine No.39 New Year 1987
AS: Two years ago Jacky was asked to choreograph and direct movement for Aphra Benn’s play The Lucky Chance (1987). This led to a spate of freelance work in commercial theatre. Another mainstream play that Jacky worked on – a stage adaptation of Dostoevsky’s novel The Possessed – was shown recently on Channel 4.
JL: The most satisfying of the plays I did recently was The Possessed, working with a Russian director called Yuri Lyubimov. Lyubimov came out of the Russian Stanislavsky and Meyerhold schools of theatre, which are highly physically oriented and expressionistic. He has also worked with his own theatre company for twenty years, which gave him the opportunity to develop a very integrated form and style. Working with Lyubimov I felt totally at home; I really got the sense of all the strands coming together, it supported and confirmed my approach to physical theatre and reminded me of my real historical connections with Russian and European theatre traditions…
For The Possessed I did quite elaborate, dance form sections, and I also worked on very minimal, delicate character movement. I ultimately contributed to the overall physical style of the piece.
PLAYS
Hiawatha (1992)
Adapted from Longfellow’s poem by Michael Bogdanov
Bristol Old Vic
Directed by Lily Susan Todd and Jacky Lansley
Musical Direction by Gary Yershon
Design by Annie Smart
The Tempest (1990)
by William Shakespeare
Manchester Royal Exchange
Directed by Braham Murray
Design by Johanna Bryant
Movement direction and choreography by Jacky Lansley
Cast included David Horovitch and Emily Raymond
The Crucible (1990)
By Arthur Miller
Manchester Royal Exchange
Directed by Greg Hersov
Design by Michael Holt
Movement direction by Jacky Lansley
A Doll’s House (1987)
By Henrik Ibsen
Manchester Royal Exchange
Directed by Greg Hersov
Movement direction and choreography by Jacky Lansley
Brenda Blethyn in lead role
Miss Julie (1986)
By August Strindberg
Liverpool Playhouse
A Women’s Playhouse Trust production
Directed by Jules Wright
Movement direction by Jacky Lansley
Joely Richardson in lead role
Beauty and The Beast (1985)
A play by Louise Page
First presented at the Liverpool Playhouse and transferred to the Old Vic Theatre, London
A Women’s Playhouse Trust production
Directed by Jules Wright
Designed by Annie Smart
Movement direction and choreography by Jacky Lansley
Music by Iona Sekacz
Lead actors Joely Richardson and Jack Klaff
The Lucky Chance (1985)
by Aphra Ben
Royal Court Theatre
Women’s Playhouse Trust opening production
Directed by Jules Wright
Design by Jenny Tiramani
Movement direction and choreography by Jacky Lansley
Music Ilona Sekacz
Cast included Alan Rickman, Harriet Walter, Pam Ferris, Kathryn Pogson, Denis Lawton
The Possessed (1984)
Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Almeida Theatre Company co-production with the Theatre de L’Europe in Paris
Toured to Piccolo Teatro, Milan and the Teatro Communal di Bologna
Directed by Yuri Lyubimov*
Music by Alfred Schnittke
Design by Stefanos Lazaridis
Movement direction and choreography by Jacky Lansley
Cast included Nigel Terry, Harriet Walter, Michael Feast
*This was Russian director Yuri Lyubimov’s first production to originate in the West after he defected in 1983.