Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Bill T. Jones’ A LETTER TO MY NEPHEW is opaque, muddled

• By drediman
• October 4, 2017
• No Comments

Bill T. Jones’ “A Letter to My Nephew” at BAM Harvey

Last night, I attended the opening night performance of Bill T. Jones’ latest dance-theater creation A Letter to My Nephew, a highly anticipated offering at this year’s Next Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. There’s no doubt that Mr. Jones has secured his status as one of the giants in contemporary dance, having transcended performing arts genres to choreograph for the likes of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Lyon Opera Ballet, as well as for the so-called legitimate theater (he won Tony Awards for Best Choreography for FELA!, as well as Spring Awakening).

Thus, it’s with great disappointment to report that A Letter to My Nephew is largely a muddled hodgepodge of ideas that never quite gels. The premise, at least, is intriguing – Letter is a tribute of sorts to Mr. Jones’ nephew Lance T. Briggs, who over the years had fallen into drug addiction and prostitution, vis-à-vis the current political and cultural landscape (indeed, the show is so current that it was able to reference the horrendous events that just took place in Las Vegas). The piece is at its most intoxicating when it incorporates movements and an atmosphere associated ball culture (an underground LGBT subculture born in this country in which drag performers compete or “walk” for prizes). Even the passages of theater failed to engage, further distancing the audience from the Jones’ intent. Ultimately, I found this latest piece from the heralded choreographer to be somewhat opaque – self-indulgent, and frankly a bit of a bore, despite the valiant efforts of an invested set of young performers.

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

A LETTER TO MY NEPHEW
Dance
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company in association with New York Live Arts at BAM Harvey
1 hour, 10 minutes (without an intermission)
Through October 7