Birmingham
Royal Ballet
Edward II
Edward II
Iain Mackay
Isabella
Elisha Willis
Gaveston
Martin Harvey
Mortimer
Dominic Antonucci
Warwick
James Grundy
Lancaster
Chi Cao
Lightborn
Martin Harvey
Daphnis and Chloe
Daphnis
Robert Tewsley
Chloe
Nao Sakuma
Lykanion
Carol-Anne Millar
Dorkon
Dominic Antonucci
Bryaxis
Alexander Campbell
Pan
Tom Rogers
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Bravo
Birmingham
Sadler's Wells
9 - 13 Oct 2007
There were some real treats for ballet-goers in Birmingham Royal Ballet's all too brief season at Sadlers Wells. The grand pas from Paquita, with sumptuous designs by Peter Farmer, a joyful performance of Frederick Ashton's Daphnis and Chloe and David Bintley's scorching dance drama, Edward II. Alas one week of BRB excellence is not enough.
Bintley is a true choreographer-dramatist. Like Kenneth Macmillan before him he knows how to tell a story and construct a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Scene by scene the characters in Edward II seal there own tragic fate. As a study of power and the brutal ways of keeping it no ballet could be more relevant in today's harsh world. Politics, religion and medieval style cruelty still go hand in hand, but Bintley is a true dramatist who explores his characters on many other levels. You can almost hear dialogue in your mind during sections of Edward II. On the emotional level, the long Act 1 duet between Edward and his boyhood friend/lover Piers Galveston explores a depth of feeling between the two men which is blind to the dangers they face. We fear for them and with good reason. Bintley spares us no horror as Edward's enemies move in for the kill.
Jasper Conran's punk costumes and Peter Mumford's lighting create a beautiful, yet sinister atmosphere. The leather bound S/M style costumes for Edward's gaolers in the final scenes are unnerving. How easily the line between erotic fantasy and real sadism is crossed!
Iain Mackay as Edward is in full command of this demanding role. Martin Harvey is frighteningly good as the headstrong Galveston sweeping Edward towards disaster. His assassination at the hands of the Barons is truly shocking. No weedy balletic symbolism here. I made straight for the bar in the interval to fortify myself. The always superb Marion Tate, who can galvanise and audience simply by standing still, brings a tactical coolness to the role of Isabella's maid, like someone well-used to surviving in shark infested waters.
Elisha Willis as Queen Isabella is entirely convincing a shy girl turned monster. Could this be the same dancer who thrilled is with 32 fouettes the night before in Paquita? Such is the versatility of the BRB company in a single week dancing works dating from 1846 to the present day with equal authenticity. Ever youthful fresh, committed to every move and step and allowing the spirit of the music to flow through their dancing. This brings a special sense of elation to the final scene in Daphnis and Chloe. Ashton's ballet dates back to the early days of the Royal Ballet. But this ballet never dates. Danced by BRB it seems newly minted for them. Robert Tewsley is an elegantly virile Daphnis and Nao Sakuma dances Chloe with clearly articulated steps in true lyrical Ashton style.
Twyla Tharp's Nine Sinatra Songs was more pleasing than any other performance I've seen of this ballet. For once, the great Sinatra does not win hands down. Laura Purkiss dances "Forget Domani" with Jonathan Caguioa makes the piece her own. She dances with conviction and star quality, but the whole company bring it off successfully, unlike the recent performance by American Ballet theatre when most of the dancers looked as if ballroom dancing was beneath them. Purkiss also put some diamond cut clarity into her variation in Paquita. Petipa's classical steps sometimes have an attractive stop-go rhythm and the brief balances equate to musical punctuation. Purkiss gets it right every time.
Much credit must go to Bintley and his BRB associates. There is a power house of skills and experience in the company and it shows. Both Desmond Kelley (Assistant Director) and Alain Dubreuil (Ballet master) were superb Danseurs Nobles in their time and are now responsible for high standards, along with Marion Tate (Ballet Mistress), a great dance-actress, has danced many ballerina roles with the Royal Ballet and created roles in new works by Macmillan and Bintley. Lucky Birmingham!
Max Farber
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