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Scottish Ballet Cinders Theatre Royal Newcastle, 10 Feb 2024, 14:30
Christopher Hampson created a beautiful version of Cinderella for the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2007 which he successfully transplanted to Scotland. It was a profound and sensitive study of grief and recovery which I loved (see Scottish Ballet's Cinderella of 20 Dec 2015 and Hampson's Cinderella: Coming Up Roses 5 Feb 2019). When I heard that Hampson had created a gender-reversal version of the ballet called Cinders bmy heart sank ecause I hate change for change's sake. That's why I was less than enthusiastic about David Nixon's Swan Lake, Akram Khan's Giselle or even my beloved Scottish Ballet's Coppelia.
But sometimes a reworking of a well-known and well-loved ballet succeeds spectacularly. David Dawson's Swan Lake is a case in point and Ted Brandsen's Coppelia is another. I am relieved to say that Hampson has carried it off brilliantly with Cinders!. I have to temper my enthusiasm with the caveat that I have only seen the version in which Cinders is danced by a woman, but I have sufficient confidence in Hampson's genius to look forward to the other version of his ballet when it is next on tour.
On the train back to Huddersfield I reflected that Scottish Ballet has always innovated. It began with Mods and Rockers '63 to the Beatles' music in 1963. As Scotland's classical dance company, Scottish Ballet might have been expected to include La Sylphide which is set in the Highlands into their repertoire. And so they do in a sense though they locate it in the gents' loo of a Glasgow community centre rather than a castle and call it (see Scottish Ballet's "Highland Fling" in Gurn and Effie Land 2 May 2018). The company's founder, Peter Darrell is said to have inspired Sir Matthew Bourne who created Highland Fling. Cinders! follows that tradition and I have no doubt that Darrell would have approved of Hampson's creation.
On the train back to Huddersfield I reflected that Scottish Ballet has always innovated. It began with Mods and Rockers '63 to the Beatles' music in 1963. As Scotland's classical dance company, Scottish Ballet might have been expected to include La Sylphide which is set in the Highlands into their repertoire. And so they do in a sense though they locate it in the gents' loo of a Glasgow community centre rather than a castle and call it (see Scottish Ballet's "Highland Fling" in Gurn and Effie Land 2 May 2018). The company's founder, Peter Darrell is said to have inspired Sir Matthew Bourne who created Highland Fling. Cinders! follows that tradition and I have no doubt that Darrell would have approved of Hampson's creation.
The synopsis of Cinders! is very different from that of Cinderella. Gone are the Fairy Godmother, mice, the pumpkin coach, dressmaker, cobbler and dancing master. There is no wicked stepmother as such because Cinderes's father dies in a fire but there is a new owner of her father's business called Mrs Thorne who performs a similar role. She also has two unlikeable daughters called Morag and Flossie and a son called Tarquin. The relationship between Cinders and Mrs Thorne is not clear but it is one of subordination. The prince has two friends who are dukes, one of whom takes a shine to one of Mrs Thorne's daughters and the other to Tarquin.
The simplification of the story has made way for some spectacular choreography. Particularly impressive were two duets between Cinders danced by Gina Scott and the Prince danced by Evan Loudon. One takes place at the ball and the other after they eventually find each other. In both of those duets, there are spectacular fish dives. I first noticed Loudon when he danced the Prologue in Emergence with Sophie Martin (see Scottish Ballet - Emergence and Mc14/22 11 June 2017). Scott, however, was new to me and when I posted a comment about her performance on Facebook I learned that both she and I have studied with the same teacher. That teacher remarked that Scott had some special magic I knew exactly what she teacher must have meant. Scott must have shown remarkable promise as a student. The reason I had not noticed Scott before is that she joined the company only last year. I shall certainly follow her career with interest in the future.
The simplification of the story has made way for some spectacular choreography. Particularly impressive were two duets between Cinders danced by Gina Scott and the Prince danced by Evan Loudon. One takes place at the ball and the other after they eventually find each other. In both of those duets, there are spectacular fish dives. I first noticed Loudon when he danced the Prologue in Emergence with Sophie Martin (see Scottish Ballet - Emergence and Mc14/22 11 June 2017). Scott, however, was new to me and when I posted a comment about her performance on Facebook I learned that both she and I have studied with the same teacher. That teacher remarked that Scott had some special magic I knew exactly what she teacher must have meant. Scott must have shown remarkable promise as a student. The reason I had not noticed Scott before is that she joined the company only last year. I shall certainly follow her career with interest in the future.
Other dancers who impressed me were Grace Horler who danced Mrs Thorne and Thomas Edwards who danced her son, Tarquin. I had been a fan of Horler since 2017 when I saw her in Hansel and Gretel (see Hansel and Gretel in Newcastle - a bit like falling in love 4 Feb 2017). I first noticed Edwards for his performance as Dr Coppelius. I should add that everybody in the show danced well and all deserve commendation.
This company had commissioned new sets and costumes from the young Welsh designer Elin Steele. She graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama only in 2018 and has already acquired an impressive portfolio. Her costume for Cinders's entrance to the ball was dazzling. Cinders was clad entirely in white. She shed her veil to reveal a skirt in the colours of the prince's uniform. The sets for the shop, ball and rose garden were ingenious and intricate. The last scene with its Christmas tree uplifted the dancers and audience.
I should mention Hayley Egan's video designs. Her simulated newspaper headlines about the fire, survival of Cinders and Mrs Thorne's purchase of the haberdashery shop launched the story. Her projections marked each change of scene,
Credit is also due to Lawrie McLennan for his atmospheric lighting.
Cinders! should be danced alongside Cinderella much in the way that the English National Ballet retains both Mary Skeaming; 's Giselle as well as Akram Khan's. Both Cinders! and Cinderella have merit and each helps audiences to understand and appreciate the other.
Cinders! should be danced alongside Cinderella much in the way that the English National Ballet retains both Mary Skeaming; 's Giselle as well as Akram Khan's. Both Cinders! and Cinderella have merit and each helps audiences to understand and appreciate the other.
