Domy Reiter-Soffer

“Courtesy of the Irish National Ballet Company, those of us present in the Abbey Theatre last night witnessed another astonishing evening's theatre.
Domy Reiter-Soffer's “ Paradise Gained” an evocation of the world of the French writer Colette. It is disciplined and mature work, which never lets the attention wander. There is much to say about this work, sitting here still stunned by its impact. I demand simply that everyone with any interest in Theatre or dance drop everything until you have ensured a seat in the Abbey auditorium. However as a critic one must give reasons for one's reactions. First of all, Reiter-Soffer has the most fertile theatrical brain in this country at the moment. The choreography itself is stunning- to mention but one aspect that the way both the leading dancers and the corps are crafted is immensely satisfying to the eye and the imagination.
The waving bodies behind the newly married Colette and Willy, the Toulouse-Lautrec dancers, the brilliant evocation of both World Wars, whose distinctive characteristics come across with both subtlety and strength.
In the title role Kathleen Smith both acts and dances beautifully and dramatically, simply magical. Reiter-Soffer knows his dancers and uses them well, over all the impression is of an incredible fertile imagination becoming more tightly resigned and powerful with each scene. It is a creation of massive interest most daring and moving and as it we were watching a history in the making”.
(Lindie Naughton- The Irish Press).

“Paradise Gained” choreography by Domy Reiter-Soffer was performed last night at the Abbey Theatre Dublin by the Irish National Ballet. The Ballet is Biographical epic about the life of the celebrated French Writer “Colette” who died in 1954 at the age of 81, to music by Darius Milhaud. It opens with the elderly figure, crippled by arthritis and confined to a wheelchair, playing her favorite Piaf record “L'Hymne L'amour”. Then it reverts to her childhood in the most extraordinary coup de theatre moment where she is transformed into a young girl, with her mother and brother Leo, and traces her life against a background of two world wars three husbands and a lesbian love affair. The expressively talented Kathleen Smith danced as Colette with a great panache and technical ability, and so did her three husband Willy (Sean Cunnigham), Sidi (Roger Wade) and most touching James Sutherland as Maurice Gaudeket her young husband, sixteen years her junior.
Reiter-Soffer links these episodes with ensamble dances suggestive of Parisian Music Hall, and two world wars. In fact the whole ballet's structure is like a movie, and the choreographic invention flows attractively and dramatically with stunning duets and theatrical surprises. It is definitely a worthy piece of theatre and a great homage to Colette.
(Noel Goodwin- International Herald Tribune).

“ Breathtaking “ Paradise Gained” choreographed and directed by Domy Reiter-Soffer opened last night by the Irish National Ballet at the Abbey Theatre.
Domy Reiter-Soffer has had a long and fertile association with the Irish National Ballet Company but Paradise gained has raised both him and the company on a new exalted plateau. It is immensely satisfying piece and a single viewing hardly equips one to do the performance justice in the review. Anyone interested in ballet and theatre at its best, who can beg, borrow or steal a ticket for this performance during the next two weeks, will feel the same. Paradise Gained succeeds so uncompromisingly is due to the brilliant choreography and ensemble work and the inspired dancing of Kathleen Smith as Colette. This was a real tour de force, with Kathleen Smith on stage virtually the entire ballet apart from costume changes. Her dancing and acting never faltered through the entire ballet and gives life to Reiter-Soffer's hauntingly evocative recollection of Colette, ranging from the happiness of childhood through her love affairs and personal literary triumphs to the horror of two world wars and the ravages of Arthritis. It is indeed a superb achievement punctuated by many highlights. The Duets with different husbands, the Parisian Milieu and the Music hall dances the two world wars and particularly the duet with her third husband Maurice after the war, a heartbreaking and most moving duet takes place with a wheelchair. The end as she wrote in her memoir “although I can no longer walk but in death I shall dance all over Paris ” this was no ordinary night and no ordinary ballet”.
(Graham Sennett- Evening Press).

“ Paradise Gained” a major work danced by the Irish National Ballet Company for a fortnight's run at the Abbey Theatre. A remarkable evocation by choreographer Domy Reiter-Soffer, of the life and work of the French Writer ‘Colette'. Opening in 1954 just before her death and goes back in memory of her childhood. From then on her whole life unfolds, from the first marriage to ‘Willy' and through her life as a music hall mime artist followed by her second marriage to Sidi and the birth of their Daughter. The whole ballet is a canvas depicting an extraordinary life through two world wars in the most exciting and moving manner to the end when Colette is confined to a wheelchair riddled by Arthritis. Then the return of her third husband Maurice after his removal to an internment camp during the 2 nd world war. We witness a stunning and moving duet when eventually she is freed by death to fly and dance all over Paris as she had written in her book “L'Etoile Vesper”.
All this is somehow miraculously welded into a whole and the action moves smoothly and intriguingly into each scene with its costume changes melting imperceptibly into the next. The music by Darius Milhaud is most effectively used with some popular French music-hall songs. Kathleen Smith conveys the indomitable spirit of Colette, to a choreography whose most moving and imaginative moments come in her dancing. She is well supported by Anna Donovan as her mother and Sean Cunningham, Roger Wade and James Sutherland as her three husbands. Paradise Gained is a triumph for the Irish National Ballet Company and a must see for any theatre and ballet Lover”.
(Caroline Swift- The Irish Times).

“At the Abbey Theatre last night, The Irish National Ballet premiere of the fascinating ballet about the famous French writer “Colette”, from her childhood to her Arthritic last years, called “ Paradise Gained”.
It is another cap feather for choreographer Domy Reiter-Soffer who, in succession of superbly devised scenes, evokes not only the personality of the writer, but also the spirit of Paris Of the 1890's period of Toulouse Lautrec and the music hall of Montmartre to the present day. The story is told in flashbacks, as figures glide past the ageing woman in a wheelchair and dissolve like a movie to her being a child in the most intriguing way. Three episodes in particular are most impressive- the music hall period and the treatment of the two world wars each had an important impact while the music of Darius Milhaud moving the action unto yet another level.
Kathleen Smith as Colette gives a memorable portrayal but all the principal dancers and the corps give unforgettable performances that cannot be praised too highly, capturing the Parisian mood in the most moving manner. Paradise Gained is indeed a great success and a coup for the Irish National Ballet”.
(John Finegan- Evening Herald).

“Domy Reiter-Soffer's Ballet “ Paradise Gained” with The Irish Nation Ballet opened at the opera house last night to an enthusiastic reception by the audience. A tour de force for the company and a challenging piece of theatre that is rarely seen, delineating between the shadowy terrain between the senses and emotions.
In his ballet Reiter-Soffer evokes the passionate sophisticate who, if time could be reversed, would return to the reassuring world of childhood and nature of the protagonist and the eventual ending up in a wheelchair, the release of death setting it free to gain once more its original paradise. Thus the title of the ballet- Paradise Gained.
The work is told in the most immediate and logical manner, the characters are finely etched, and the Paris of the Fin de Siecle of one kind of art to a beginning of another. The haunting music of Darius Milhaud evokes those nostalgic elements of the ballet extremely well. Choreographically the ballet is a significant innovation, the physicality of the movements are superbly controlled and every gesture paramount. Kathleen Smith as Colette is fulsome dance wise, allows the protagonist to confront a dimension that is unique and timeless. The choreography demands absolute acting ability and high technical skill, which was superbly met by the principals and the corps de ballet who gave a magnificent ensemble work to evoke the heady Paris Milieu of creativity and hedonism. Kathleen Smith danced the role so intensely and with such canny technique that the character of Colette came across as if from life, and this the kind of truth art brings to the chaos of reality, making it thereby sublime. The ballet has many highlights, those of the childhood scenes, the Paris Music hall , and the Love Duets of three husbands and the treatment of the two world wars; all these became a wonderful spectacle that was a pleasure to the eye and senses. This is the first time such a ballet has been attempted. The honor goes to the creator of the ballet and the Irish National Ballet Company, it is assuredly marked as a master piece for the international repertoire and ballet history”.
(Robert O'Donoghue-examiner).