SWALADDIN LAKE












It usually takes me longer to get some theatre visits under my belt for a new year but here we are, 7 January and 2 programmes on the coffee table already.

On Thursday Owen and I made a return visit to Sadlers Wells to see the tenth anniversary production of Matthew Bourne's SWAN LAKE. Despite the familiarity of the piece it was still received rapturously by the audience.

The performances were of the high standard expected to live up to the originals of Scott Ambler and Adam Cooper. Simon Williams, although lacking Ambler's neurotic intensity, made the Prince suitably tortured and Thomas Whitehead although shorter and more solid than previous incumbents of the dual role of The Swan and The Stranger delivered a powerful performance. The Queen was played by Nina Goldman with a light regal disdain while Agnes Vandrepote was suitably toe-curling as the luckless Girlfriend. Ashley Bain as the calculating Prime Minister actually provoked boos at the curtain call - nice to see the spirit of panto alive and well at the ballet!

I never tire of Bourne's choreography and the great design by Lez Brotherston. So many great moments... Bourne's nod to "The Birds" when the Prince's huge bed is quickly covered with flapping menacing swans is a great coup-de-theatre. The re-imagined story works for me every time and yes Constant Reader... when the Queen grieved over the dead Prince and The Swan appeared above them cradling the Prince in his arms I got a bit sparkle-eyed. If you have never experienced this before in a theatre, rush to Sadlers Wells before January 21st.

After such emotional high-flying it was time for more booing the villain. I had promised myself after quitting the Actors Agency never again to sit through a pantomime. Trust my dear close personal friend Nicola Blackman to appear in one in possibly her farewell performance to the English stage before chancing her arm in New York. So Friday night found me and Owen in the windswept mean streets of Watford to see ALADDIN at the Palace Theatre.

Actually I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting. True, the pace occasionally threatened to flag at times - none more so than in the obligatory Get The Kids On Stage routine - but on the whole it bounced along merrily and when in doubt bung in a song! Someone had fun shoe-horning DOWNTOWN, IT'S RAINING MEN, COME FLY WITH ME and most bizarrely The Soup Dragons' I'M FREE into Joe Graham's jolly script. The cast certainly performed with gusto (or possibly drugs) - Nicola was great fun in her two roles of a Jamaican Spirit of The Ring and as Lotusblossom, the Princess' security guard; Howard Coggins was an agreeably grumpy Genie and Dale Superville worked the stage and the audience without getting too annoying as Wishee Washee. Peter Shorey's rather muted Widow Twankey was a bit of a surprise as was the Abanazar of John Alistair who could have been a bit more scarey for the wee uns. Stefan Butler and Rachel Grimshaw were suitably gauche romantic leads. Keith Orton's eye-popping designs contributed to a surprisingly fun night out - withstanding the travel hell!