Review of Sleeping Beauty by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

While settling down to write my third review of a ballet (only also the fourth I had seen), it strikes me that I am still limited in my understanding and slightly feel a fraud for attempting to even write a review of one. However, then I think what I always do at this stage, that I shall be here to offer advice to those potential new audience members who are thinking of challenging themselves with a bit of different art, advice as to whether to take the plunge. So, here as a bystander to proper ballet knowledge, I offer my thoughts of Sleeping Beauty by The Russian State Ballet of Siberia.

The tale of Sleeping Beauty needs little introduction, and as my previous encounter with the Siberia ballet, Cinderella attested to, this can be the best way of getting into ballet as a layman. Knowing the story well, goes a long way to enjoying ballet, and who doesn't know about Sleeping Beauty and the knitting needles?

This production immediately captivates with the colour and energy of the opening prologue. Full of excellent moments of choreography, and even this opening piece, full to the brim with that one move we all know, even if we don't know ballet, en pointe.

Despite this being a story told through dance, there are some great characters created. Alexander Kuimov and Vera Surovtseva have a great presence as the stately King and Queen, with the former a particularly expressive face as well.

Francesco is quite brilliant as master of ceremonies Cattalabutte, while scene-stealer and scenery-chewing Egor Osokin is devilishly wicked as Carabosse, who you want to boo in the best panto traditions, and eventually, at the curtain call, the audience is up for doing so, perhaps to the dismay of maybe some of the most rigid of ballet aficionados.

As the Princess and Prince, Anastasia Belonogova and Francisco Gimenez are stunning in their solos, but even more beautiful together when finally paired up in the second half of the second act, and the pieces combined with some special characters including Puss-in-Boots, White Cat, and Little Red Riding Hood form a delightful culmination to the ballet.

The set is simple but effective, with a large projection, often animated, offering the background to scenes. It's not groundbreaking, but it does the job and allows the main business of the ballet to be unhindered. Conductor Anatoliy Chepurnoy and his large orchestra fill the theatre beautifully with Tchaikovsky's classic music.

This was easily the best of the three offerings of ballet that I have seen at the Royal & Derngate, and this talented group provide a solid evening of touring ballet and are also presenting two other shows this week at the Royal & Derngate, Coppélia and Swan Lake (as depicted in the second and third images on this review). If you have never encountered ballet before, maybe you should take this opportunity, but you may need to read up on the synopsis beforehand!

A solid performance of the classic tale with great production and one particularly great star turn.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Monday 27th January 2020 at the Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton.
The Russian State Ballet of Siberia performs Coppélia (28th January) and Swan Lake (29th January including matinee) at the Royal & Derngate, before continuing its tour.

For further details about the Royal & Derngate see their website at http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Photos: Graeme Braidwood

Review of Frankenstein at Royal & Derngate (Royal), Northampton

Over 200 years since its first publication it is remarkable to think that what is, in essence, a scientific novel such as Frankenstein is still so relevant in content today. However, as science evolves endlessly, and now with AI becoming so dominant and controversial, the difference between right and wrong, good and evil in science, and what is too inhuman is as current as ever. Tilted Wig's production, now at the end of its UK tour at Royal & Derngate and written and directed by Sean Aydon takes the original story and sets it about halfway between the first publication and modern day, around the time leading up to the Second World War. Aydon's adaptation works really well in placing the story within this degenerating world, a place where true horror is around the corner, and veiled ideas of their (Germany's) interest in Frankenstein's work are gently developed. However, while Aydon clearly had this idea in his head and his pen when scripting this version, the polit

Review of Hacktivists by Ben Ockrent performed by R&D Youth Theatre at Royal & Derngate (Underground), Northampton

The National Theatres Connections series of plays had been one of my highlights of my trips to R&D during 2014. Their short and snappy single act style kept them all interesting and never overstaying their welcome. So I was more than ready for my first encounter with one of this years Connections plays ahead of the main week of performances at R&D later in the year. Hacktivists is written by Ben Ockrent, whose slightly wacky but socially relevant play Breeders I had seen at St James Theatre last year. Hacktivists is less surreal, but does have a fair selection of what some people would call odd. Myself of the other hand would very much be home with them. So we are presented with thirteen nerdy "friends" who meet to hack, very much in what is termed the white hat variety. This being for good, as we join them they appear to have done very little more than hacked and created some LED light device. Crashing in to spoil the party however comes Beth (Emma-Ann Cranston)

Review of Flashdance - The Musical at Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes

For the second week running, the Milton Keynes Theatre is overrun by a wave of eighties nostalgia as Selladoor's production of Flashdance The Musical follows hot on the heels of An Officer and a Gentlemen. However, is it nice to have more of that classic decade upon the stage? The answer mostly is yes, despite the fact that the story driving Flashdance is that light and flimsy at times, you just have to sit back and watch the dancing and the bright colours to get you through. Welding genius, Alex Owens, has her sights set for a bigger thing beyond this tired and struggling factory in Pittsburgh. Hoping to take her dancing beyond Harry's bar, she plans to make big, via Shipley Dance Academy. Then, also drifting into her life comes Nick Hurley, who initially unknown to her, happens to be the factory bosses son, the scene is set for romance. Flashdance has a generally excellent cast led with a tremendously good performance from Joanne Clifton as Alex Owens. Those famili

A Small Mind At The Theatre

Search This Blog