La Fille Mal Gardee by Birmingham Royal Ballet, Birmingham Hippodrome - review

There might not be ugly sisters, golden eggs or magic beans, but we have a dame, puffed-up chickens and a scorned suitor dancing alone with an umbrella.

This is a playful panto, combining splendid ballet, music and playfulness to produce a cheery, comical tale of forbidden, yet triumphant love.

Sir Frederick Ashton’s revival of the ballet - one of the oldest known, having been first performed in 1789 - is a breath of fresh air in today’s world of neverending drama, fretting and fear.

However cathartic is it to be moved to tears by a meaty stage tragedy, how wonderful to know that no-one is going to down a measure of poison or throw themselves off a parapet.

And how wonderfully the company portrays this vision of bucolic peace and merriment.

Michael O’Hare as old mother Simone is a belting concoction of bustle and bloomers as ‘she’ wags fingers, slaps bottoms and even manages to slide across the stage in her clogs during the famous clog dance.

‘She’ is a superb contrast to her exquisite daughter Lise, played delicately yet vigorously by Momoko Hirata.

The strength and athleticism of Mathias Dingman as her true love Colas, is a sight to behold, and James Barton as his rival must be applauded for mastering how to dance in a way that appears silly while executing a high level of skill.

The chorus is a delight, as are the many comedy touches, and of course the maypole, pony, trailing ribbons and constant smiles.

And congratulations must also go to the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, under the baton of conductor Paul Murphy, who played with a vitality that balanced perfectly with the dance.

The last night of this lighthearted feast is Saturday, before moving on to Plymouth, Salford, London and Belfast.