Review | Beauty And The Beast (Birmingham Royal Ballet) September 2014

There are no singing teapots... this is Beauty And The Beast at it's boldest and it's best - Birmingham Royal ballet are back with a brand new season and an eleven-year-old favourite production from David Bintley. 

From the initial curtain-up this deliciously dark ballet has you in awe. From Belle's vast library, towered high with books, we are seamlessly transported into the forrest and to the Beast's castle. With a grand, golden set design and exciting illusions you are easily lost in the magical world, before any dancing is even considered. 

The story is of a price, as cruel as he was handsome who is turned into a Beast. The Beast encounters a merchant and spares him his life in exchange for his youngest daughter - Belle. The tale of choice dictated by love ends romantically, as always, and is a perfect excuse for a magical transformation scene. 

Elisha Willis is an endearing Belle. Beauty by name and beautiful in nature, this is a subtle performance, from the heart to the hearts of the audience as you fall in love with Belle as she does with Beast. The narrative choreography ensures she has plenty of stage time with Tyrone Singleton who is in every way a commanding Beast. Dominating the stage, Singleton has an athletic approach to a character who is at first strong but manages to show a more tender Beast, mastering the creature's demise and is earning of sympathy. 

The rest of the excellent company make up other animals. A charming bunch, it is pure delight to watch them leap in unison, spinning in all directions, it's sometimes chaotic but it's visually stunning. The story is lost only slightly in parts but a timeless classic such as this has more than enough to please on all levels.

Backstage on the production is even more fascinating as the magic unfolds. As always with Birmingham Royal Ballet, corners are certainly not cut... Despite it's grander, what is surprising is the simplicity of the set. Quite obviously impressive in scale but a team of dancers push the giant castle walls around to suggest change in setting, it's entirely traditional in method yet continues to offer the audience a spectacular treat. It is perhaps a shame that the exquisite detail in the set design just can't be seen clearly enough from the auditorium. In a rare opportunity to see the sets so closely we discovered first hand delights such as the hundreds of individual flowers, made from foam, covering the walls. 

The costumes are exquisite. Considering the amount of dancing and the height in which they manager to leap, particularly for the Beast it's interesting to discover how heavy they actually are. Costumes line the corridors, multiple dresses for each Belle, 5 of whom will play the role during one week of performances. There are also multiple Beasts - each performer is rehearsed before going on, so that's a lot of rehearsing! 

The doors to the Beast's castle are incredibly detailed with animalistic carvings. Just as detailed is the decoration on his chair and table. Both chair and table are created especially to allow magical illusions. The chair moves onto stage by itself, spinning around and the table is full of delights - such as plates that move and drinks that pour themselves. 

See below for a selection of photographs from our tour behind the scenes. Click on the images to view them larger. 

See this spectacular production of Beauty And The Beast by one of the world's greatest companies. Birmingham Royal Ballet present the opening of their autumn season at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 4th October (book here) with another production, Shadows Of War next week, which includes Miracle in the Gorbals - specially re-created for the company by Dame Gillian Lynne, from Robert Helpmann’s original work set in 1940s Glasgow and danced to music by Sir Arthur Bliss. From 8 - 11 October (book here).

Dame Gillian Lynne begins work on Miracle In The Gorbals

THREE OF A KIND (Birmingham Royal Ballet) Review February 2014

Just four months after the success of Penguin Café, Birmingham Royal Ballet present another triple bill of favourite ballets. Previously, the celebration of David Bintley's award winning pieces and now the coming together of three comic ballets - Card Game, Slaughter On Tenth Avenue and Elite Syncopations. 

The first ballet, Card Game, first performed by Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1976 is perhaps the most visually simplistic I've seen from the company for there are no gimmicks - but it works perfectly. Here is a card table - a stage covered green with male dancers dressed in unitards, females in tutus - both decorated to represent a particular card in the pack. This piece focuses on the intricacies of poker and is split into three deals. Even for non-players the piece is easy enough to follow and is a witty, lively and collectively camp display of cards as they progress through the game. The fun begins when the Joker is dealt. Danced by Jamie Bond, the Joker tries to replace cards to sway the game with humours consequences. Bond has unrivalled speed and has a charming charisma despite villainous intentions. Cleverly between deals, other dancers, hidden behind the backs of human sized playing cards, enter and shuffle about to trade places with others. Throughout, the synchronicity is almost an impossible perfection.

Slaughter On Tenth Avenue is the crazy tale of gangsters, a high-kicking stripper girl and a happy go lucky hero who literally dances for his life. This lively piece is most unlike much else in Birmingham's repertoire. Beginning with dialogue, the scene is set with the pending disaster of gunfire in which the piece steadily builds towards... This is indeed a ballet, but so much more. An incredibly slick 26 minutes of more contemporary ballet that even features an exciting, intricate tap solo. Tyrone Singleton and Céline Gittens as the Hoofer and Striptease Girl command all attention and remain sensationally sexy, sassy and passionate. There is a great moment between the two bartenders (Kit Holder and Oliver Till) who use the choreography to light each other's cigarettes, striking matches across the bottom of their shoes. Slaughter On Tenth Avenue is received like a musical, there is very much a West Side Story feel to what is probably the stand-out act of the three. 

Stripping back the stage to nothing more than lighting rigs and the bare back wall is perhaps a little underwhelming at first... What is most magical about Elite Syncopations is that despite the lack of scenic elements, this piece is in fact one of the most vibrant. It is nice that here the dancers are joined on stage by the band who play a delightful arrangement of Scott Joplin - whose ragtime moods inspired the ballet. Casually the dancers sit around the perimeter and take turns to present their routines. The costumes are a delightfully colourful exaggeration of the era paraded by dancers who are able to experiment with a less formal presentation. Jonathan Higgins conducts the band on piano who create a sufficient and merry soundtrack. This particular piece is your proof that talent is entertaining enough without the need for anything else. 

The three succinct ballets are concentrated with pure delight. For an evening of lighthearted merriment, visit Birmingham Hippodrome until Sat 22 February. Book online here. 

You can listen to dancer Lewis Turner talk about his roles in the triple bill and The Prince Of The Pagodas which plays from 25 February - 1 March. You can book tickets here. 

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Birmingham Royal Ballet Reviews

GISELLE (BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET) Review June 2013

First performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet in October 1999, what producer David Bintley describes as a proper Giselle, is resurected once more. 

The curtain rises on a quaint little village in the mountains, complete with waterfall. As with all of their productions, BRB's beautiful sets (this designed by Hayden Griffin) are most magical. With the warm, fairytale feel of a pantomime but the realism and detail of the finest photograph you could stare for hours just at the scenery. 

 

Iain Mackay and Jenna Roberts (By Roy Smiljanic) 

It is of course the world-class ballet that you have ultimately come to see and Jenna Roberts who leads as Giselle has quite a story to tell. Giselle and Loys are deeply in love. Loys has not been truthful and is actually Count Albrecht, son of the local lord and is already betrothed to Bathilde - a lady and his social equal. When a jealous Hilarion (a rival for Giselle's hand) proves who Loys really is and Bathilde arrives to claim him, the heartbreak is too much for Giselle who takes her own life. 

Iain Mackay and Jenna Roberts (By Roy Smiljanic) 

Much more dramatic than BRB's last offering of Coppélia the first act passes at the blink of an eye. The intensity of both the story and dazzling choreography are more than enough to keep an audience fixated to the stage. Iain Mackay as the handsome Count Albrecht shows off his incredible elevation and more than once received applause mid-routine. Tyrone Singleton proves his versatility in characterisation - his Hilarion is a far cry from Coppélia's Hans but danced with equal passion. The Harvest Pas De Deux  of Momoko Hirata and Tzu-Chao Chou is also a definite highlight.

Momoko Hirata and Tzu-Chao Chou (By Roy Smiljanic) 

A beautiful production, even in death - the haunting and gothic second act is graceful and is something of a visual spectacle. Also, the presence of a magnificent white horse is but one example of the extreme lengths this company go to impress. World class company and orchestra - another unmissable classic ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 22nd June 2013. Book here. 

(Information on booking for the 2013/14 season at the end of Coppélia review.) 

COPPÉLIA (BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET) Review June 2013

3rd March, 1995 - this production of Coppélia is first performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome. 6th June, 2013 - I see it for the very first time. Some 18 years on from it's premiere in the same venue there was barely a seat in the house left unoccupied. 

This is the story of Franz who falls for Coppélia, a doll left on a balcony by toymaker Dr Coppélius. Much to his fiancée Swanilda's anger, she and her friends enter the workshop and ultimately cause chaos in an attempt to distract Coppélius who is using Franz in an attempt to give life to his beloved doll. 

Previous Cast Photography - Birmingham Royal Ballet

Rory Mackay is delightful as Dr Coppélius, the bumbling character role that provides not only humour but plenty of charm as he works his magic upon the doll, or at least what he believes is the doll. Swanilda swaps positions with Coppélia's and is danced by Ambra Vallo gracefully throughout. All eyes are on her as not only does she execute the most remarkable footwork but her expression is incredibly transfixing and enough to tell a story alone. Tyrone Singleton is lover Franz and commands the stage  - a definite display of strength and control proving to be a technically assured principal.

Choreographed by Peter Wright, this 18-year-old production is in no way dated. The story is just as enchanting as it always was but there is a fresh and exciting vibe that turns the Birmingham Hippodrome into a land of magic and fantasy for it's duration.

What also goes a long way to help the production's breathtaking values is the incredible scenery and costumes by Peter Farmer. We have of course come to see the ballet, not particularly it's surroundings but the three lavish settings really are a spectacle. The Birmingham Royal Ballet orchestra is most impressive and fill the auditorium with a rich sound of Léo Delibes score.

Combine every element of the Birmingham Royal Ballet and it is clear just why they are considered among the best in the world. It is most heartening to know that such a wonderful company have their home here - one of Birmingham's many assets.

Coppélia is true joy. An dazzling and spectacular vision of love without a word uttered. Beautiful.

Watch Coppélia in rehearsals:

Book tickets for Coppélia which runs unil Saturday (8th June) here. You can also book for Birmingham Royal Ballet's future productions: Giselle (BOOK), 'Still Life' At The Penguin Café (BOOK), The Sleeping Beauty (BOOK), The Nutcracker (BOOK), Three Of A Kind (BOOK), The Prince Of The Pagodas (BOOK), Darkness And Light (BOOK) and La Fille Mal Gardee (BOOK).

For prioity booking and discounts, become a Friend of the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Click here for more information.