By: Rosie Sharman-Ward, TRP Reviewer
This gorgeous ballet, La Fille mal gardée, is a sugar rush for the soul. Birmingham Royal Ballet’s impeccable production of Frederick Ashton’s timeless pastoral confection radiates pure sunshine. It plucks gently at your romantic heartstrings, amazes with virtuosity and is laugh out loud funny.
La Fille in question is Lise, young, pretty and head over heels in heady teenage love with handsome, penniless Colas (a suitably hunky Max Maslen). Her mother, Widow Simone, is a wealthy famer and is determined not to allow Lise to marry anyone poor. Her choice is Alain, the son of a prosperous vineyard owner, Thomas (Rory Mackay). Alain is a simple soul, naive and childlike. No match for heart throb Colas. Thus, the battle lines are drawn!
Momoko Hirata as Lise delivers an incomparable performance. She is exquisite. Fresh as the morning dew and light as thistledown, she lights up the stage; so believable as the cheeky teenager complete with winning wiles and charming tantrums. The relationship between Lise and her benighted mother is hilarious. Widow Simone, brilliantly portrayed by Lachlan Monaghan, literally locks up her daughter. Despite the regular clash of wills, however, we see a charming affection between them which is heart-warming.
Tom Hazelby, as the luckless Alain, is faultless. He creates a wonderful character and gathers the audience on side with his lovable antics. Bewildered by his father’s insistence that he courts Lise, and teased by Lise’s friends and villagers, there is just enough pathos to win sympathy yet still be extremely funny.
The perfect view of country life that the ballet portrays is an idyllic fairytale, full of sunshine and well-dressed villagers, picnics and dancing. It is a little bit bonkers, but then the original story was inspired by a painting back in the 1700s. One of the oldest works in today’s ballet repertory and revived many times since the original, Frederick Ashton’s definitive version is spectacular. The dazzling choreography and humorous approach makes this ballet a delectable treat for the family and this production is a stellar example. The entire cast excel, the costumes and sets enhance the story adding subtle nuances, and the music is beautiful; oh how I love a live orchestra.
Then there is the clog dance – never mind the pas de deux and stunning lifts, the comical chickens and an adorable pony, though of course they are all fabulous – that clog dance is my favourite! Tom Hazelby absolutely triumphs, having to take two bows as we would happily watch him dance it again and again.
This joyous production brings smiles to all its audience’s faces. Forgotten is the damp, chilly October evening – we are transported to a sunlit cornfield by this captivating ballet. On leaving everyone is happily chatting, I even saw a lady attempt to clog dance her way out of the auditorium…