Sunday 13 March 2022

Chelmsford Ballet's First Show Since the Pandemic

Standard YouTube Licence

The Chelmsford Ballet Company is older than Northern Ballet, Scottish Ballet and even English National Ballet. This little news clip records its formation. Clearly, the founders were resourceful and enterprising. Not surprising given that many of the City's movers and shakers hail from Essex.  I am proud to say that I am a non-dancing member of the Chelmsford Ballet.  I am tempted to attend an audition in June to see whether I could qualify as a dancing member.  

In the middle of March of every year, Chelmsford Ballet stages a full-length ballet or mixed bill in the city's Civic Theatre.  I watched and reviewed every one of those annual shows between 2014 and 2019. I missed the 2020 show because of covid.  There was no show last year for the same reason.  I am glad to see that the company will return to the Civic between 16 and 19 March 2022 to perform Beatrix Potter™ Tales in association with Frederick Warne & Co. 

According to the Civic's website:
"Many of the delightful Beatrix Potter characters enjoyed by generations are brought to life in this imaginative balletic interpretation.

We see Beatrix engrossed in her work & watch as some of her characters come to life such as Peter Rabbit, Jeremy Fisher, Squirrel Nutkin, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, adding to the excitement a flying Jemima Puddle-Duck trying to escape from Mr. Toad."

Save for an occasional young professional at the start of his or her career who may be engaged to perform a principal role most of the artists are child or adult dance students. There is however nothing amateurish about their performances.  Particularly impressive is their computer-generated special effects.  A projection of the growth of a forest around Aurora's castle in The Sleeping Beauty was breathtaking.  Equally remarkable is their wardrobe department (see the headpieces of the snow wolves in the 2017 production of The Snow Queen).

I plan to watch the opening night. My review will appear a few days later.

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