Who needs swans, when you can have a chorus of dancing chickens? Birmingham Royal Ballet’s current revival is of a comedy ballet that began in 18th century France, making it one of the oldest ballets still being performed, and one of the first to use ordinary people in a rural setting, instead of gods and fairies. Think “The Archers” en pointe. In 1960 “La Fille Mal Gardée” (“The Wayward Daughter”) was reinvented by Frederick Ashton to reflect the British countryside, and last night’s Lowry performance of the Ashton version was as fresh, charming and laughter-inducing as ever.
The wayward daughter, Lise, was danced by Miki Mizutani with truthful adolescence, lively comedy, and lyrical dreaminess. Lachlan Monaghan as Colas, the local young farmer who wants to marry her, ably matched her as the adolescent boy whose main interests are food, drink and japes, and their many comedy moments together were executed with great playfulness. This made their recurring pas de deux throughout the ballet especially interesting, giving a contrasting experience as their love deepened and matured, and their characters grew to adulthood. From Act I’s famous pas du ruban, where Lise and Colas spun long pink ribbons through the air and around each other, culminating in a deft cat’s cradle design between the two dancers, to Act II’s triumphant climax of a “bum lift”, with Colas balancing Lise entirely on the palm of his hand above his head, and finally a well-earned wedding dance in Act III, there was a rich and satisfying character arc for the two dancers, which Mizutani and Monaghan fulfilled with delicacy as well as humour.
Kit Holder as Alain, the dopey son of a wealthy vineyard owner that is supposed to be the betrothed of Lise, was in danger of stealing the show. His many gawky solos, often performed to a solitary tuba, were Dick Van Dyke in flavour but required great precision and control, and his expressive face and demeanour revelled in his naivety and joy in life – until the heartbreaking wedding scene, when he realised he was spurned. His grief was as sincere and poignant as his former childlike happiness had been. It is easy to play “La Fille Mal Gardée” as stock characters, and it is greatly to Hodder’s credit that he obtained both the comedy and the sympathy in his performance.
Rory Mackay danced as Widow Simone, Lise’s mother and a tough farming woman determined to make a wealthy match for her daughter. This is where the Ashton version of “La Fille Mal Gardée” starts to look a little dated. Mackay performed with energy and sympathy, and he and Mizutani worked very hard to create a mother-daughter relationship filled with comedy frisson, that is kisses one moment and spankings the next. And yet….. the ancestor of Widow Simone is twentieth century music hall, right down to Widow Simone breaking into a bout of Lancashire clog-dancing in the cornfield. It is a caricatured music hall dame part. With the other principals fleshing out their performances and bringing in extra layers, Mackay’s rather thankless task of making Widow Simone more human stood out a little. And over time, the comedy has diminished from the corporal punishment scenes – spanking Lise in time to the music is one thing, striking her across the cheek to a percussive rhythm is another.
The corps de ballet did lovely intricate work with more long pink ribbons, and plaiting rainbow strands in a traditional English maypole dance. However, my heart goes to the chickens. Especially the one stray chicken being blown around haplessly in the storm scene. There could not have been better chicken-dancing.
Reviewer - Thalia Terpischore
on - 25/10/18
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