Birmingham Royal Ballet's farmyard frolic is a dance delight
With its excellent blend of frivolity, escapism and expertise, it's easy to see why La Fille mal gardée has become a much-loved favourite in Birmingham Royal Ballet's repertoire.
The story is simple to follow, light-hearted with much laughter and ultimately a love story with a happy ending.
From the moment the chickens and cockerel spring from the coop after curtain up at Birmingham Hippodrome it’s obvious the audience is in for an evening of welcome merriment.
The opening music, complete with echoes of birdsong, sets the scene for a joyous jaunt.
The story, choreographed by Frederick Ashton, centres around Widow Simone and her daughter Lise (wayward daughter, as the title translates) on their farm in the countryside.
Simone plans to arrange a marriage between Lise and the son of a wealthy vineyard owner, the nice but naive and clumsy Alaine. But Lise has other ideas and defies her mother to pursue her true love, the young farmer Colas. There's much gaiety as the young lovers outwit the widow's plans with their mischievous antics.
Unlike many traditional fairy tales there are no dark undertones here. A thunderstorm during the maypole dance is as bad as it gets.
Cue a section of ominous music, courtesy of the wonderful Royal Ballet Sinfonia which is on its usual fantastic form to deliver the score by Ferdinand Hérold and arranged by John Lanchbery. As the skies turn grey the haymakers scatter for shelter while the nice-but-dim Alaine is whisked up into the sky clutching his treasured umbrella.
The simple storyline and rustic set belies the wealth of technical challenges for the dancers. There's a clever use of ribbons throughout including a mesmerising maypole dance.
There's also the surprise challenge of working with a live animal – with the impeccably behaved Welsh Mountain pony Oscar making an appearance on the farm.
The ballet provides the company with the ability to show off not only their accomplished dancing but also their excellent theatrical skills.
Beatrice Parma, who takes on the role of Lise, excels with her expressive portrayal of a headstrong and mischievous teenager.
She and Enrique Bejarano Vidal, who plays her true love, Colas, are a perfect match and produce a dazzling mix of grace, poise and strength including the breathtaking one-handed lift, while Rory Mackay's Widow Simone and Gus Payne's Alain brought plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.
The title may be French but the thread woven throughout is quintessentially English. There's a hint of Morris dancing, a touch of slapstick panto dame (courtesy of Rory Mackay) and not forgetting the Lancashire clog dance – some of it en pointe!
The technical challenges no doubt left the principals exhausted but the audience went home refreshed, with a spring in their step, smile on their face and still humming the clog dance tune.
The whole performance was a breath of fresh air and a ray of sunshine on a dreary wet evening. A charming and cheery production.
La Fille ma gardée runs at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday. Tickets are available from birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/brb-la-fille-mal-gardee/
