Lest We Forget — Queensland Ballet

Overview

It has been a century since the First World War rocked the entire planet. While plenty of time has passed since that conflict changed the course of history, its impact is still felt — as is the toll of every other battle that has raged in the years that followed.

Timed to commemorate the ANZAC Centenary, Lest We Forget ponders the lingering effects of combat through contemporary dance and neo-classical ballet. Across a triptych of pieces crafted by a trio of top choreographers, the performance reflects upon the way that war can prove inescapable not only for those who serve, but for those who are left behind as well. And, given that it hones in on something that isn't always easily spoken about, it also provides a physical expression of a difficult topic.

Accordingly, in We Who Are Left, Natalie Weir tells personal tales taken from poetry written during World War One. Paul Taylor's Company B explores the small-town repercussions of World War Two via a study of contradictions set to the hit songs of the Andrews Sisters, while Ma Cong's The Best Moments focuses on love, commitment and passion as inspired by The Hours Suite by Philip Glass.