Royal Ballet (live broadcast), 10/12/2024
Prokofiev : Cinderella
Artists of the Royal Ballet
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Jonathan Lo
Cinderella was Frederick Ashton's first, full-length, narrative ballet, in 1948, for the newly minted Royal Ballet, emerging from the Sadler's Wells Ballet after the war. It's very much indebted to Petipa in terms of choreography - the presence of a Jester in the Prince's court is a distinct nod to classical Russian ballet, quite aside from anything else. In over 75 years, it has been both re-staged and re-designed; the most famous re-staging probably that of 1965 which was filmed in 1969, blessedly preserving the Ugly Sisters double-act of Robert Helpmann and Frederick Ashton for posterity. The present production was launched last season, with designs by Tom Pye and costumes by Alexandra Byrne, but it's also significant that the step-sisters in particular have been re-thought for the present day. Where Helpmann and Ashton were outright caricatures, complete with fake noses, the present-day pair are rather more realistic, to the point that, apparently, in some rotations of cast, they are taken by female dancers. Tonight it was Bennet Gartside and James Hay, very much girls and not pantomime dames, selfish and entitled, yet not entirely graceless. Hay in particular actually makes a rather pretty woman. It changes the dynamic, makes the comedy a little subtler and less misogynistic and, probably most importantly, makes them forgivable, in the end, which, of course, Cinderella does.
The design in general is good, with a strong theme of nature, and flowers in particular, running through it. The colour palette is fairly muted, save for the step-sisters, who are eye-watering in neon pinks and greens. The second act party is outdoors, on the palace terraces, while the shabbiness of Cinderella's home is eloquently conveyed by the cracked and dirty glass of a conservatory wall. It's just the last scene that's a little underwhelming, though the staircase disappearing back into the heights is a nice touch, but then the third act is severely cut in any event, which, as always, is a disappointment. My only problem with the costumes was with the season fairies' tutus in Acts 2 and 3; for some reason I cannot fathom, something about the cut of the bodices made all the girls but one look strangely thick-set. It was not a flattering effect.
Gartside and Hay were both excellent as the step-sisters, while Daichi Ikarashi as the Jester rather stole the show in terms of male solos from William Bracewell's Prince, with electrifyingly vivid and fluid dancing. This is not to imply any fault with Bracewell's dancing, it's just that the role, as a solo part, doesn't look nearly as interesting. However, that's not the most important part of the Prince's role; what is, is the partnering, and that, Bracewell executed superbly. His Cinderella, Fumi Kaneko, was sweet but underplayed in Act 1, but then came the Act 2 pas de deux, which was outstanding, Kaneko and Bracewell playing off and to each other with a deep, rich energy perfectly matched to the opulent and lyrical sweep of the orchestra. With that Kaneko truly came alive, and her 'dream' solo at the start of Ac 3 was also beautifully delivered, touching and enchanting. With dancing like this, it's a pity Ashton's third act doesn't offer another pas de deux for the principal couple. All of the rest of the cast presented very well, but the other star of the evening was the ROH orchestra in particularly good form, deftly guided by Jonathan Lo. That, in the end, is what really put the magic in the evening, how could one not be transported by such wonderful playing.
[Next: 29th December]