Scottish Ballet: ‘Starstruck’
My eyes filled up with tears as the iron rose to reveal the empty stage of the Eden Court theatre. With the stage dressed only with a rehearsal piano, a chair, movable barres and mirrors and a few lighting stands, the choreographer came through a backstage door and switched on the studio lights. Just as Gene Kelly wooed Debbie Reynolds in ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ as he sang ‘You Were Meant for Me’. This time it was for dancers as they straggled into rehearsals. The era, the style and period. 1960. I thought this show was ‘Meant for Me’!
Was I really watching live dance with all its thrills, emotions, and foibles? Yes, it wasn’t a dream but the real thing. What a brave and exciting venture for Scottish Ballet to bring to life Gene Kelly’s original ‘Pas De Dieux’, created for Paris Opera Ballet at the Palais Garnier in Paris. A chance meeting between Patricia Ward Kelly (Gene’s widow) and Scottish Ballet’s Artistic Director Christopher Hampton set the project in motion. In 2019, she ran into Chris at the Palais Garnier.
Patricia recalls: “I told Chris about ‘Pas de Dieux ‘[which premiered at the Garnier] and the wonderful photos of Gene dancing down the regal staircase. I had wanted to remount the ballet for many years, but never got it off the ground”. It is, she says “in good hands” with Chris. Patricia gave him access to invaluable archive material, including film, photographs and a musical score covered with Gene’s handwritten notes. Chris brought in musical theatre coach, Alexandra Worrall, to help Scottish Ballet master the American style difference. He stresses, “In classical ballet, we’re taught to look weightless, whether it’s rising up on pointe or jumping to escape gravity. This is the opposite: you really use the floor”.
For a company trained in classical and contemporary dance this is a challenge. The dancers on stage last night really took this on. It isn’t often that you see outside of musical or dance theatre the opportunity to smile and enjoy and dance your heart out. This piece provided everything from fizzy ensemble numbers, character driven spots, classical solos, and pas de deux. The company were loving it.
Story-driven, Christopher Hampton has added an extra scenario to bookend the original work. The essential story involves a choreographer (Zeus), the star ballerina (Aphrodite), Sweethearts, and a pianist (Eros). Somehow the Greek ballet they are rehearsing ends up on a beach in the South of France. It’s all very glamourous and fun. Danced to initially Chopin, a favourite for ballet class, the music segues into Gershwin’s Concerto in F, the first-time ‘ballet met Jazz’ music. The dancers move from classical style, which is all up, into Jazz style which has to be down. Kelly was classically trained and successfully auditioned for Ballet Russe, turning it down as he couldn’t support his family on the pay. How lucky he did, or we wouldn’t have had his legacy. His idea of setting routines on the street (‘On the Town’), influencing late choreographers like Jerome Robbins for ‘West Side Story’.
Luckily, I had tickets for Patricia Ward Kelly’s ‘Legacy’, a one woman show two weeks earlier so everything she talked about sprung to life on stage. Two and a half hours without an interval, but this is a must for any dance lover. How wonderful that she shared her archive with Hampton helping him to re-stage.
The references in this new staging are there for dance aficionados to spot and thrill to. Long legged Pas de Deux, echoing Cyd Charisse, costumes for the final show echoing Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. Even a little homage to Frederick Ashton the ‘La Fille Mal Garde’ duet with the ribbons. This time it is wires attached to the lovers, manipulated by Zeus. They fly away in a hot air balloon.’ Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’?
So, this was a brave adventure for Scottish Ballet and its dancers to be entrusted by Patricia to re-stage dance history. It proves to be an outstanding success. Not having a printed programme and the digital cast list disappearing from the web overnight makes it difficult to praise performances. Firstly, the ensemble was outstanding. Taking on a different style in a synchronised show dance is not easy, but their enthusiasm carried them through a few rough passages. They were just great. Opening the show with a lengthy solo for the choreographer/Zeus, imagining his classical choreography, holding the stage is a challenge. It involves big jetes, lyrical moves and strong characterisation. He was mesmerising. Eros had terrific elevation and personality. The two sweethearts were enchanting and the star ballerina/Aphrodite beautifully terrifying and elite. Technically they were lithe and strong. But you would expect nothing else.
The set design by Les Brotherston was as usual up to his inventive standard. What would dance theatre do without him? And the music recorded live by Scottish Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Jean Claude Picard, was superb. This work will undoubtedly be requested by other companies for their repertoire.
There have been few shows where I have come out and wished I could go back in and watch it all over again. This was one of them! The Company moves on to Aberdeen and Edinburgh next. I urge you to not miss out on an evening which will lift your spirits and reaffirm the importance of the Arts in our lives.
A feature-length film will be released 26th November – 5th December online, worldwide £9.99 per household through the Scottish Ballet website.
