By Michelle Rawlins
For any fans of the childhood story of the Ugly Duckling, this wonderful adaptation by the Northern Ballet is utterly exquisite.
As you would expect from the Leeds based company, the choreography, courtesy of former dancers Dreda Blow and Sebastian Loe, is sublime; the colourful costumes, designed by Julie Anderson, delightful and the inventive story telling perfectly crafted for a younger audience.
The well-known Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale tells the touching story of a lonely little duckling who, after emerging from the safely of his shell, realises she doesn’t look anything like her three older siblings. Cast aside and rejected she runs away in the hope of discovering who she is.
Staying with the true tradition of the Danish story, after the coldest of winters and the darkest of nights, as the sun once again begins to emerge, the once Ugly Duckling is transformed into a beautiful and graceful swan. Embracing her new appearance, she learns to dance, always en pointe, with the help of the classical Swan Queen.
The six ballet dancers who play the part of bedraggled ducklings and the other creatures she meets; a pair of frolicking frogs, two slinky black cats, with their graceful moves and swishing tails, and a conniving and charming, but also ravenous fox, play their parts skilfully and beautifully, a true testament to this award-winning company.
Comic moments are also imaginatively interjected with plenty of age-appropriate fun moments, including the acrobats from the frogs, silly faces and naughty tricks by the older ducklings.
My seven-year-old daughter was thoroughly mesmerised during the forty-five-minute production, captivated by the clever characterisation, the enchanting set, designed by Dave Gillan, and the beautifully created array of amusing, and often acrobatic, animals.
All in all, this thoroughly charming production, aimed at children aged four to eight, really is a lovely introduction for little ones, to the theatre and ballet.
Touring until May 1 2023
Tickets here