Showing @ Festival Theatre, Edinburgh until Sat 14 Jan

Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty has, at least in recent times, not been regarded with the same fondness as his other great balletic works (The Nutcracker or Swan Lake). Perhaps this is due to, apart from the famous waltz, its lack of hummable tunes or maybe it’s a case of its familiar story if not breeding contempt then at least apathy. It would be nice to say that this production from Scottish Ballet brings his fairytale to life but unfortunately it would be only partially true.

Ballet can sometimes be a game of two halves or in this case four quarters and here the first three are a case of the bland leading the bland with Tchaikovsky’s sugary romanticism matched by beautiful but ultimately empty choreography from director Ashley Page. Essentially it’s a meringue, a very pleasant thing but mostly full of air.

After almost two hours of sweet, fey, insubstantial and occasionally dull dance the final act bursts forth with wit, colour, charm and adventure; it’s like a firework display that’s mostly full of damp squibs suddenly exploding for the final thirty seconds with all the power of New Year in Sydney.

The failings and the successes of this show lie entirely at the feet of Ashley Page. For a director and choreographer who’s normally so sure footed there’s a feeling here of uncertaintly with scenes, particularly toward the beginning, being over staged and cluttered with too many cast members giving the whole thing an untidy appearance. The choreography until the final scenes, where he lets himself off the leash, is too respectful of Tchaikovsky’s music and even in the enchanted forest he doesn’t take the opportunites it affords him to let his creative imagination play.

Fortunately thanks to beautiful, imaginative sets from Antony McDonald and witty costumes from Michelle May this show at least looks wonderful. From the late Victorian feel of the early scenes to the nineteen forties inspired glamour of the ending, it maintains its fairytale charm. There’s not enough here to cast a spell over you but you won’t doze off either. It’s a story of missed opportunites mixed with some wonderful moments but it’s unlikely to win this ballet any new fans.