Swan Lake @ Theatre Royal
Breathtakingly stunning and a definite recommendation.
Having never seen a Northern Ballet performance before, I was expecting a rigid conformity to the traditional tale of Swan Lake, packed with tottering ballerinas in black and white tutus. While I would’ve been perfectly happy with this, the contemporary dance company gave me something more: something very different, more sensitive, and refreshingly new.
David Nixon’s production of this timeless classic was poignant and tender, opening on notes of grief as we comprehended Anthony’s guilt and sorrow over the drowning of his brother in the lake. The show proceeded with straw boaters and parasols, and the mood lightened as the dancers rode around the stage on bicycles, jumping, balancing and expertly handling their props with all the grace and agility expected of a ballet dancer. Yet, the comic element was soon overwhelmed by deep emotion as the show explored themes of inner conflict and repressed sexuality, focusing on the relationship between Anthony and his best friend Simon, as well as the mystical embodiment of a swan, Odette. I was astounded at the intense emotion conveyed in a mere facial expression or slight of hand, particularly in the scene where Anthony rejects his wife Odilia when she is yearning for his love and affection. Her grief and desperation alongside his emotional turmoil were so expressively depicted, making this performance truly stirring in its modern relevance.
The visual spectacle itself was incredible too, with a watercolour backdrop of blotted pinks and purples, a dark brooding lakeside setting, exotic costumes of the Belle Époque period, and feathered headdresses for all the swan girls. I always wow at ballerinas going ‘en pointe’, and this time was no exception as the dancers tiptoed across the stage, their bodies creating shapes, flowering and blossoming in perfect harmony like lilies or lotus flowers in their pearly dresses. The final scene was particularly amazing as a billowing blue sheet spread across the roof of the stage like water, and the girl’s costumes were illuminated from floor level lighting to create an utterly tranquil yet eery aquatic atmosphere. Yet, the scenes with Anthony and Simon were equally evocative as they danced with a perfect balance of strength, grace, vulnerability and determination.
Exceptional use of props- the chaise longue, a bed, paintbrushes and slashes of red paint- really added to the drama and brewing emotion of the piece, and made me realise these dancers are not just dancers, but incredible actors as well. Accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s beautiful musical score, the performance was truly inspiring, and during moments of quiet we could even hear the pattering of the dancer’s shoes like rainfall. It was magical.
The Northern Ballet are far from conventional, evident even by their performances of 1984 and Jane Eyre. Yet, Swan Lake manages to retain traditional elements whilst reimagining the tragedy into something much more modern and exciting. The ending was dark, seductive and captivating, but like the rest of the show, breathtakingly stunning and a definite recommendation.
