@ Theatre Royal, Glasgow, until Sat 23 Apr 2016 and touring
It is a brave choreographer who will take a very well-known and well-loved ballet such as Swan Lake, and attempt to recast it into something new. It is, after all, the archetypal classical ballet—and because of that much codded—all tutus, evil sorcerers and betrayed love.
David Dawson, however, clearly doesn’t frighten easily, and working with Scottish Ballet, a company that positively thrives on taking risks, has produced an exciting, really essential version of the ballet. It represents a clean break from the distracting trappings of more traditional productions, thus allowing a clearer and more universal narrative to shine through.
Dawson’s choreography is often asynchronous and asymmetrical, making very effective use of the whole stage—indeed sometimes completely filling it with texture—and he is able to create, for example, real contrasts between foreground and background. There is much fluidity here, movement often undulating around points or lines with an almost fractal quality. The titular swans appear more avian and less otherworldly than is conventional, and denuded of their tutus, the dancers are able to make full, expressive use of their bodies.
Sophie Martin is simply incredible, both as the mysterious and sensual Odette, and as the femme fatale Odile. Her refined, fluid dancing—intense but still full of exquisite subtlety—is the perfect match for Dawson’s choreography. Christopher Harrison is very strong as the confused Siegfried, whose grey life is only occasionally splashed with Technicolor. Martin and Harrison’s Act I duet is vital, passionate and beautiful.
Both the clean and minimal set (John Otto) and the modern, uncluttered costume design (Yumiko Takeshima) help focus Dawson’s Swan Lake on the choreography and the dancers: this is truly a dance piece. The fairytale may be all but gone, but it is all the better for that. This is a clever, exciting and well executed production, which appears to have brought the best out of everyone involved.