Last night’s Cinderella should have been a triumphant celebration to mark English National Ballet’s 60th Birthday year. Whilst there were glimpses of some exhilarating young talent, sadly the majority of the company looked as though they were emerging bleary-eyed from a long summer sleep and, as a result, the atmosphere was disappointingly muted.
Corder’s Cinderella takes a long time to warm up, and only really burns to its brightest potential in his choreography for the stepsisters and the sequence of stars. His choreography for the title role is remarkably repetitive - releve after releve he leaves her to scurry about the stage filling in time and empty stage space. Daria Klimentova performs this plethora of releves with a soft finesse and the sophisticated ease of veteran principal, yet despite her impressively steadfast technique she is not the easiest dancer to warm to and definitely not a natural physical choice for the role.
Vadim Muntagirov makes for a promising young prince, with attractively elegant limbs, silky landings and a gentle, if sometimes shaky, partnering technique. It is left, however, to the two charismatic stepsisters to carry the show and in Adele Ramirez and Sarah Mcllroy Wayne Eagling has found the perfect pair. They tear round Cinderella with brilliant comic timing, relishing the chaos they whip up and reveling in their ability to intimidate. Mcllroy, in particular, makes for a deliciously stroppy madam, pouting and trotting around on pointe like a stubborn little pony.
The end of Act I showcases a few exceptionally promising young dancers as seasonal fairies, most notably Shiori Kase who joined the company last year from The Royal Ballet School. As the Autumn Fairy she is divine. With her dynamic phrasing, neat footwork and delicate lines, she reminds me of a young Yuhui Choe and with small soloist roles already being thrown her way; she no doubt has a brilliant career ahead of her.
Visually, the production is enchanting - from the drifting mist in the moonlit opening, to the starry backdrop in the finale scene, David Walker’s designs evoke all the magic of this storybook tale. It is a shame that some of the company seemed half-asleep last night, but exciting to see a fresh crop of talented young dancers (particularly Ruth Brill and the tiny Nancy Osbaldeston) shining out from the lower ranks like jewels in a grand but dusty crown.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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