Oct. 26
The English Beat
Emerald Isle Escapade: A Literary Jaunt of Ireland
The English Beat’s second wave ska was
Ireland’s most famous writers are a colorful bunch. On the
always a curiosity: If something could ever
downside, however, they’re also dead. What to do? The
be called both subdued and manic, it was
next best thing to a corpse reanimation machine is UNLV
the stylish twitch of The English Beat’s
English professor Stephen Brown, who has rigged up a
rock-inflected ska. Calling all rudeboys,
rollicking melange of pictures, anecdotes and readings
suedeheads, peacock mods and smooth-
about this wild crew. Brown promises to take you from
ies: The English Beat still sounds fresh.
James Joyce’s tower in Sandy Cove to Lady Gregor’s es-
7:30 p.m. $24-$28. House of Blues.
tates at Coole Park to the cottage of Patrick Pearse -- all
www.houseofblues.com
that and, of course, a few pub stops on the way.
Oct. 16
Dave Wakeling of The English Beat
7:30 p.m. Free. UNLV’s Barrick Museum Auditorium Oct. 21-Nov. 6
Neighborhood III: Requisition of Doom After a fairly staid, regressive 2010-11 season, Las Vegas Little Theatre’s Fischer Black Box returns to contemporaneity with a one-two punch. Playwrights Union founder Jennifer Haley’s “Neighborhood III: Requisition of Doom” is set in a cookie-cutter subdivision much like those that dot the Vegas landscape. In Haley’s suburban dystopia, teenagers play an addictive video game in which they battle zombies in a neighbor-
"Petite Mort."
hood very, very much like their own. Parents are worried as the planes of fantasy and reality begin to intersect. Despite the zombie factor, this isn’t
Oct. 29-30
Nevada Ballet Theatre Season Premiere
some horror-movie knockoff. Variety’s
Nevada Ballet Theatre’s 40th season begins with an especially powerful program at Paris Théâtre.
review said “Neighborhood III” “builds
Included are major works by choreographers Jirí Kylián, George Balanchine, James Canfield and
to an affectingly gruesome finale.” Guiding the cast of four through 16
Sharon Eyal. Mr. Kylián is rightly considered to be one of the world’s greatest creators of contemporary ballets. His “Sinfonietta,” danced by Ballet West, was premiered locally by Nevada Ballet in 2010 and
roles is director Troy Heard. He says
was the highlight of that program. NBT’s October program premieres another Kylián masterpiece, “Petite
Haley’s 2008 play “grabbed me by the
Mort.” The title translates from the French as “little death” and refers to the peak moment of physical love.
throat when I first read it and hasn’t
The men’s unique use of epees (fencing foils) adds symbolic significance to the theme. Choreographed to the
let go. It’s extremely contemporary in
slow movements of two Mozart piano concertos, many of the danced passages are as exquisitely beautiful
setting and language — one need only
as the music. It will be performed by guest-company Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, one of America’s most
drive up to Summerlin to become im-
acclaimed contemporary troupes.
mersed — but timeless in its theme of
The Hubbard dancers also perform “Too Beacoup” by the house choreographer of Israel’s Batsheva Dance Compa-
the disconnect between parents and
ny, Sharon Eyal. The dance’s robotic movements are said to evoke a sense of 3-D video. The renowned Jacob’s Pillow
their adolescent children.” — D.M.
Dance Festival recently presented Norway’s Carte Blanche Dance Company in performances of Ms. Eyal’s works.
Oct. 21-Nov. 6. $13-$15. Las Vegas Little Theatre. www.lvlt.org
“Concerto Barocco,” by George Balanchine, promises to be a welcome return of that master’s 1941 work to an NBT production. It has no plot — nor is one implied. It’s a pure balletic visualization of the J. S. Bach concerto for two violins. Two dances by NBT’s artistic director, James Can-
Oct. 21-22
field, round out this eclectic program. “Up” is a look at love through seven different versions of the Rodg-
Glass Works
ers and Hart ballad “Blue Moon.” Like vignettes, each
Even as 2011 draws to a close, Terpsichore, the Goddess of dance, still has much
relates a brief story about relationships: some happy,
to offer Las Vegas audiences before the end of the year. One of the community’s
some not; some beginning, others ending. “Gnossi-
outstanding sources for consistently high quality dance concerts is the dance
ennes,” choreographed to piano pieces by the French
department at UNLV, which presents “Glass Works” at Judy Bayley Theatre as a
composer Eric Satie, will be accompanied by pianist
tribute to 100 years of Tiffany Glass creations. Choreography is by faculty mem-
Vince Frates. Satie’s music, often lyrical, sometimes wit-
bers Cathy Allen, Victoria Dale, Richard Havey and Louis Kavouras. The talented
ty and eccentric, has been inspiring ballets since 1917.
performers are all Bachelor of Fine Arts students. These concerts are always
Little wonder that choreographic geniuses from Mas-
innovative and entertaining and have received international praise on tours that
sine to Ashton and Mark Morris have created dances to
include Germany, Japan and Korea. — Hal de Becker
his compositions. — Hal De Becker
8 p.m., Oct. 21; 2 p.m., 8 p.m., Oct. 22. $10-$18. UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre.
8 p.m., Oct. 29; 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Oct. 30. $29. Paris Théâtre in Paris Las Vegas hotel-casino. www.nevadaballet.org d e s e r t c o m pa n i o n . c o m 57