★★½

“a lack-lustre production – and it should have been luscious escapism”

This was the State Ballet of Georgia’s UK debut at the London Coliseum, with their production of Swan Lake, the world’s best-loved work in the classical ballet cannon, and with their artistic director, the renowned Nina Ananiashvili at the helm, the excitement of their arrival was palpable.

The story of Swan Lake sees the young Prince Siegfried falling in love with the tragic Queen of the Swans Odette. The evil sorcerer Rothbart has bewitched her and her fellow maidens, who are condemned to take the form of swans forever unless the spell is broken by someone falling in love with Odette and swearing undying love to her and her alone.

Spoiler alert, in this production, the usually tragic tale of true love does have a happy ending – it appears that this is the preferred version in productions in Eastern Europe. So, no death-defying dance of the dying swan or the heart-stopping suicide leap off the cliff of the ill-fated lovers. Here Odette does a quick change amid her fellow swans and appears as a Princess in her nightgown to live happily ever after with her Prince….

The storytelling of Swan Lake is always dependent on very clear and precise mime from the cast – which was lacking from all. From Siegfried’s mother (Ina Azmaiparashvili) insisting he choose a wife, to Rothbart’s (Marcelo Soares) predatory watchful eye over his swans. And Odette telling Siegfried her tortured story of bewitchment through to his promise of undying love for her was lost in translation. I had always understood the wonderful moment when Siegfried points two fingers skywards and then touches them to his heart showing his undying love for Odette (also to Odile) – but tonight that romantic movement was a weak “victory” sign.

The ballet opens with the preparations for Prince Siegfried’s coming-of-age ball, taking place the following night. But there was no joy in the dance and Prince Siegfried, tonight played by Oleg Lihai with nice jetés but with a set grin and completely solid hair sprayed hair, was somewhat upstaged in this Act by his friend Benno (Efe Burak).

Act II is the female corps de ballet’s time to shine as sinewy beauteous swans. Sadly, their tutus let them down, appearing to be hooped rather than layered net, they drooped low on the ballerinas. The tortured Odette (Nino Samdashvili) and Siegfried fall in love, but there was no connection or chemistry between them at all even during their searing pas de deux.

After the interval Act III is the grand ball at the palace celebrating Siegfried’s birthday. Post several character dances with various potential foreign princess brides dancing for Siegfried and his mother, including one standout moment when the Spanish dancer backbends, her head touching the floor, snapping sharply back up with her fan. In the dual role of Odile, Samdashvili arrives as the black swan, sadly lacking the fire, taunting and seducing that is needed to make Siegfried swear his undying love to her. But he does, as he momentarily forgets his true love Odette, and Odile and Rothbart reveal themselves as the evil players they are. The classic 32 fouetté turns by Odile resulted in, I counted just 28, as Samdashvili moved fast downstage, on the steep incline of the Coliseum stage.

Back to the Lake and in Act IV the corps flock of swans is in unison, making the beautiful choreographic shapes and precise lines as they quiver in the dawn light. As Odette and Siegfried’s love conquers evil.

The cast will change from night to night but I have never witnessed a production of Swan Lake with so many holds for applause. I believe this is traditionally Georgian, but the audience at the Coliseum were not quite ready for these continued stops within the flow of the story, and it felt almost circus-like expecting applause after every trick.

The State Ballet of Georgia seemed to find it difficult to gauge the size of the Coliseum’s stage. Possibly smaller than their Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre – their feet disappeared into the wings whilst in arabesque and spacing seemed slightly off. At times, the dancing on stage, seemed to drag momentarily behind the English National Opera Orchestra, playing Tchaikovsky’s great score, conducted by Georgia’s Papuna Gvaberidze.

This was a lack-lustre production – and it should have been luscious escapism.

MR PUNCH AT THE OPERA at the Arcola Theatre

★★★

“At last! Hubert sings, with Matthew Kellett’s beautiful baritone and nice comedic performance”

I took two young reviewers with me to see Mr Punch at The Opera, Mila (9) and Willow (5) as the show is supposedly an introduction to the world of opera for children. The production is part of the Arcola Theatre’s annual Grimeborn Opera Festival – a playful nod to Glyndebourne.

What could be better than a new take on Pergolesi’s Renaissance opera La Serva Padrona, but using the setting and characters from Punch and Judy? Punch and Judy, with its origins in Italian commedia dell’arte, the grotesque, the laughter, the characters, the traditional short scenes, slapstick, humour, mayhem, intentional violence, domestic abuse, shocked laughter a plenty – and everyone dies. Perfect for an opera – but sadly Mr Punch at The Opera is not.

Mr Punch at The Opera tells the tale of old Hubert whose maid Serena teaches him some tough lessons and manipulates him into marriage; whilst back centre stage, there is a traditional Punch and Judy theatre that reveals its glove puppet characters, who slightly interact with the duo’s storyline. If only director Becca Marriott had directed Mr Punch at The Opera to run at breakneck farcical speed it would have had some identity to a Punch and Judy show, but sadly it was not.

Mr Punch at The Opera starts with the Puppetry Director (Professor James), dragging a heavy wicker basket onto the stage space. He opens it, and we see the character of Hubert inside – who must have been crouched up in there for some 15 minutes waiting for the audience to enter! Slowly Hubert (Matthew Kellett) unfolds with realistic puppet moves and bows to the audience. Great start – and my imagination was spinning with excitement as could opera meet puppetry….?

Enter Serena (Grace Nyandoro) the maid, then talks to the audience pantomime style about being a feisty strong modern woman, no singing. Serena continually goads her boss, Hubert.

At last! Hubert sings, with Matthew Kellett’s beautiful baritone and nice comedic performance. It was a shame that Kellett plays the Hubert character as an old man when speaking and moving, especially when he finally breaks into song his voice sounds so vibrant and young. It would have worked better in this new production if Hubert had been a spoilt young man. As Hubert sings about hot chocolate, we have our first sighting of a puppet in the upstage puppet theatre – the crocodile who steals and guzzles down Hubert’s hot chocolate then his string of sausages. Serena does not believe Hubert’s cries of crocodile – even though the few children (and mostly adult audience) shouted to her “it’s behind you”!

Serena ties Hubert up with a washing line and steals Mr Punch’s large slapstick and threatens to use it on Hubert, as the slapstick makes its slapping noises. One presumes, with the same glee that we would usually associate with Mr Punch, as he abuses his various victims. Is this what Mr Punch at The Opera is about, turning the domestic abuse usually seen in Punch and Judy on its head, making the female the abuser? Serena demands that Hubert marry her, or she will have to marry the Policeman, another puppet character. Hubert refuses so she cries and uses hypnosis, and he falls in love, and they share a kiss.

There was not much audience participation and no gleeful shouting audience – although the adults were given party blowers which they were told to use by Serena, when something they didn’t agree with was happening – but it was all a bit confusing as clearly Serena was making them blow at the bad things she was doing, and I wanted to use it when I felt sorry for poor abused Herbert – so I’m not sure when they were supposed to be used.

Professor James is clearly a professional Punch and Judy theatre performer and was very adept at all the characters he played, including the most famous of lines “that’s the way to do it”, which we just about heard. He was much more comfortable hiding in plain sight in his little puppet theatre than when forced to leave his safe space and perform out front in full view. Grace Nyandoro plays Serena as a rather hardened, manipulative, abusive young woman with her crocodile tears, just after poor Hubert’s money. She has a pretty soprano – when she doesn’t try to sing in chest through certain lines, which was not pretty at all. The musical director at the piano was Panaretos Kyriatzidis alongside cellist Alison Holford, both accomplished musicians. Mr Punch at The Opera was created by The Opera Makers company.

Mila and Willow enjoyed Mr Punch at The Opera, but neither had any clue what was going on or what it was about. Neither had they ever heard of Punch and Judy, until we explained what to expect before leaving to go on our opera adventure. Willow didn’t have a favourite moment, but for Mila it was the singing, and she said she would like to give Mr Punch at The Opera three stars. Mr Punch was very lucky that I was sharing my review with Mila – but as an opera for children I was very pleased I was sharing my experience with these first time opera goers. Brava Mila and Willow.

Tag Archives: Debbie Rich

SWAN LAKE

★★½

London Coliseum

SWAN LAKE at the London Coliseum

★★½

“a lack-lustre production – and it should have been luscious escapism”

SWAN LAKE at the London Coliseum

Reviewed on 28th August 2024

by Debbie Rich

Photography by Sasha Gusov

Previously reviewed at this venue:

THE MONGOL KHAN | ★★★★★ | November 2023

SWAN LAKE

SWAN LAKE

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page

MR PUNCH AT THE OPERA

★★★

Arcola Theatre

MR PUNCH AT THE OPERA at the Arcola Theatre

★★★

“At last! Hubert sings, with Matthew Kellett’s beautiful baritone and nice comedic performance”