
Night Journey, the dance, had its premiere only two and a half years after Appalachian Spring, and it is a close cousin. It too has a stream-of-consciousness narration: Jocasta, as she is about to kill herself, remembering what has happened to her. It too contains soul-delving solos, broken up by ensemble dances. Here, however, the ensemble is a darker element. As the story was taken from Greek tragedy, so the corps is the equivalent of Greek tragedy’s chorus. They tell us how to feel: afraid mostly. In this piece Graham pushed her habitual economy to its limits.
Directed by Alexander Hammid, Night Journey leans on a strong ensemble — Martha Graham, Bertram Ross, Paul Taylor — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about music titles of 1960.
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