The Lyceum, Sheffield – until 11 January 2025
Review by Sharon Farley
4****
The combination of grace and movement, fairy tale sets, beautiful theatre architecture and a live orchestra works to transport you back in time to when Tchaikovsky’s now familiar classical score was first being heard. Then, the thud of strong ballet feet on stage boards brings you back to reality and the realisation of the incredibly hard work that a production of this standard demands.
Not only is the live orchestra practised to the point of perfection, the dancers’ movements synchronise with every note with precision timing. The sets are delicate and dreamy, but clearly deeply thought through to create depth as well as backdrops, with every element as functional as it is beautiful. The many varied costumes also help define the changing scenes, catching the light and delicately sparkling to complete this dazzling performance.
In a Netflix dominated culture that expects words to explain a story these cues are essential to help fill the gap, but despite the absence of dialogue it is easy to follow the themes of love, betrayal and forgiveness being narrated by movement alone. Even when the character of Prince Seigfried is tricked by the dastardly von Rothbart and his daughter, Odile, into believing he is presenting his beloved Odette as his intended bride to his mother, and winning her approval, the skilful depiction by the dancer playing the two contrasting characters – Odette and Odile – shows us they are not the same. Odette flutters and glides, while Odile is evidently more brazen and conflictive; one wonders how the lovestruck Prince could ever have confused the two? The image is the same, but the two characters illustrated by movement alone are worlds apart.
Accustomed as we are to being spoon fed our stories, it is good to challenge the senses to unravel what, for many, is now an alternative form of entertainment. Any classics buff will revel in the grace and strength of the talented array of international dancers brought together by the Mergaliyev Classical Ballet and their interpretation of this timeless piece; but this elegant production is easily accessible even to those of us less accustomed to the performances our grandparents – or even great, great grandparents – were once inspired by. Catch it while you can on this short UK tour.