Although a tad outside the recommended age limit, 3 yrs and upwards, The Australian Ballet’s annual visit with Storytime Ballet is one of the year’s guilty pleasures for this reviewer.
Conceived as an introduction to ballet for children, it is always so impeccably conceived and presented as to provide as much pleasure to even the most fastidious balletomane, as to the young audience for whom it is intended.
This year the ballet being performed is The Sleeping Beauty. Utilising Hugh Coleman’s lovely costumes and set designs were originally created for Maina Gielgud’s 1984 production of The Sleeping Beauty.
David McAllister has repurposed the original costumes and set designs to devise a production which cleverly delivers the entire ballet without compromising the storytelling or the dancing, and performed without an interval, in less than an hour.
The choreography, based on the original by Petipa, remains authentic, but cleverly edited, so that when the young audience get to see the full production, they will recognise the elements they saw in the Storytime Ballet version,
As well, the cast of ten young emerging AB dancers get the opportunity to share and perform roles that they would otherwise have to wait years for an opportunity to perform, carefully coached with admirable attention to detail by repetiteur, Paul Knobloch.
At this performance Madeline Flood was an enchanting Princess Aurora, not only dancing with confidence but acting the role with commitment and intelligence. Ben Obst danced the dashing Prince who rescues Aurora from her 100 year sleep.
Eliza Hickey and Lucas McLean gave a sparkling account of their pas de deux as Cinderella and Prince Charming, and Chantelle van der Hoek and Cieren Edinger earned screams of delight from the young audience with their duet as Red Riding Hood and her cheeky wolf.
Zoe Horn impressed with her confident handling of the spectacular costume Coleman had designed for the Queen, while Alexander Mitchell was her attentive and noble King.
As the vengeful fairy Carabosse, Elena Salerno got to wear one of the most beautiful and recognisable costumes in the Australian Ballet Wardrobe. A remarkable black and red creation which somehow conjures up the vengeful personality of the character for which it was designed.
For those with a special interest in historical costumes, The Australian Ballet always includes a wardrobe of original costumes not used for the performance, for budding dancers to view close-up. No touching though.
Essential to the concept is the role of Catalabutte, in this production the King’s avuncular chief advisor, who not only cops the blame for neglecting to send Carabosse an invite to Princess Aurora’s sixteenth birthday celebrations but also acts as a narrator keeping the young audience informed as to what is happening in the ballet.
Sean McGrath brings considerable charm to this role with a script that is delightful. Not too much information. Just sufficient to keep his young audience informed and engaged.
Details such the graces each of the three fairy godmothers bestow on Princess Aurora during her birthday party. At this performance edited versions of each of the fairy’s testing solos were impressively danced by Grace Campbell (Lilac Fairy), Eliza Hickey (Fairy of Grace) and Chantelle van der Hoek (Fairy of Joy).
Never losing character McGrath occasionally lapses into Panto mode by requesting his audience to let him know if they happen to see Carabosse. Of course they almost go into hysterics as he continually misunderstands their instructions by looking in the wrong direction.
And he never forgets to remind those whose grownups had neglected to invest in a light-up magic wand, that fingers are just as potent as wands when conjuring up particular magic, making sure no one is left out of the magic-making.
The Storytime Ballet series is certainly a success story for The Australian Ballet. If you need proof, just check out the rapt expressions on the faces of the young attendees engrossed in the storytelling, next time you get the opportunity to attend a Storytime Ballet.
An additional pleasure for the thoughtful grown-up intent on exposing their young charges to the magic of ballet and theatre.
Storytime Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty
Canberra Theatre – Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, Canberra
Performance: Friday 17 January 2025
Storytime Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty will be presented at the Brisbane Powerhouse from 23 – 26 January 2025. For more information, visit: www.australianballet.com.au for details.
Image: Artists of The Australian Ballet in Storytime Ballet The Sleeping Beauty – photo by Daniel Boud
Review: Bill Stephens OAM