Choreographer
David Bintley
Music
Duke Ellington
Design
Steve Scott
Costume
Kandis Cook
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Such Sweet Thunder
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Sadler's Wells
26 - 30 October 2004
Witty reinterpretations of the Nutcracker appear to have become a seasonal past time. This year it is the turn of the Birmingham Royal Ballet's The Nutcracker Sweeties, choreographed by the ballet's artistic director David Bintley. This time, however, Bintley has dispensed with not just the choreography but also the narrative and music, extracting solely the divertissements and setting them to Duke Ellington's Jazz-Nutcracker as the first in this Ellington inspired trilogy of works.
Jazz rhythms and classical technique make for an ambitious pairing. Overlay those onto pastiche cameos from America, the Orient and Russia and the result is a bewildering cacophony of culture that for the most part simply doesn't work. Nao Sakuma as the Arabian nights inspired Arabesque Cookie demonstrates that ballet dancers simply can't gyrate convincingly. Asta Bazeviciute's long limbs fail to be contained within Bintely's demure choreography for the Chinoiserie.
Silvia Jimenez and Dominic Antonucci, however, are wonderful as the Floreadoress and the Floreador. Their funny flirtatious chemistry Jack Dee meets Ronnie Encona - are the high point of a rather underwhelming first act, that fails to be rescued by Jasper Conran's glamorous costumes and a neon cartoon set.
On then to The Orpheus Suite, which opens dramatically with the Argonauts, all dressed in white tie, bursting onto the stage. Bintley has made his name as a choreography of narrative ballets such as the superb Edward II. Here the underworld is transformed into an opium fuelled jazz club. In the early stages the choreography is jazz derived, the dancers exchange ballet slippers for jazz pumps. Bintley's challenge is that the essence of jazz is improvised, laid back, languid. Ballet on the other hand, is disciplined, controlled, restrained. It is in the first pas de deux between Aristaeus (Ian Mackay) and Eurydice (Elisha Willis) one sees that Bintley succeeds in meeting and surpassing this challenge. The elongated string sequence of Colin Town's score fits perfectly both her arabesques and his sinuous, seductive moves. Later, the moment when Orpheus fatefully glances back at Eurydice and she pirouettes slowly back across the stage towards Aristaeus is inspired. Bintley intended the Orpheus Suite as a tribute to Ellington. And what a tribute! It is simply breathtaking.
The Shakespeare Suite provides the finale of the evening. Whatever doubts were created by the first piece are forever dispelled. Conran has dressed Hamlet's male corps in black skirts and mesh tops, Macbeth in a black and white slashed kilt, Kate chases her Petruchio in a white wedding dress and trainers, Richard II is a slithering lounge lizard in dark suit and dark glasses. Robert Parker leads as black clad Hamlet, Tyrone Singleton is mesmerizing as a stomping, raging, thunderous Othello. There are witty moments: Bottom strums Titania like a giant double bass. The dancers are enjoying themselves, the orchestra is swinging, the audience are tapping their feet. Bintley's vision was brave and potentially dangerous. At first it slips and wobbles, but ultimately it soars, confirming his status as one of Britain's most exciting young choreographers.
Aminatta Forna
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