@ Festival Theatre, Edinburgh until Sat 7 Feb 2015
Set next to some of ballet’s heavy-weights – Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle – the tone of Coppelia is as light as air. An engagement between a village boy and girl ends – despite a life-like doll, a mysterious inventor and a wandering eye – with marriage and the promise of future happiness. And what this brilliant production demonstrates is that art that focuses on the brighter side of life need not be dismissed as insubstantial. The Birmingham Royal Ballet have produced a show that has wit, heart and soul in equal measure.
The technique on display is formidable, as one would expect from a company with such an excellent pedigree. The principals excel – Elisha Willis is especially impressive in her taut, artificial movement, fooling Dr Coppelius into believing he has created a living doll. Several of the smaller parts, appearing in only the third act, also prove delightful, with Celine Gittens in particular enchanting in the part of Dawn. But what comes as a surprise is the dedication to the physical comedy of the story, and the realism of the acting. Ballet is occasionally accused of being po-faced, but the warm laughter of the audience implies anything but. For such an artificial art-form, Coppelia is like a very human story, a theme that really plays to this production’s strengths.
The set is another delight. The use of two relatively long intervals allows each of the three scenes to depict entirely separate worlds, with sumptuous attention to detail. We see curious scientific equipment and bewitched mirrors in Dr Coppelius’ workshop; village balconies with twisting vines bathed in a soft-hued sunset; and an elegant Hapsburg era ballroom under a soft night sky. Costumes are equally splendid, with a mixture of romantic tulle, central European folk dress and larger-than-life wind-up ‘toys’. The level of care and attention, to all aspects of the production, make Coppelia a total joy from the moment the orchestra first strike up.
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