Review
Coppelia at the Apollo October 99 For a pleasant bit of escapism this production of the comic classic Coppelia does the business. Not often do you get a comic ballet, and this combines an amusing story with bright, engaging dance. The
curtain rises to an idyllic pastoral scene in central Europe, complete
with temple-style church towers rising in the background and the stage
hung with leaves and aflame with warm autumn colour. The ballet is
set in a village in Galicia, and it is the eve of Swanildas
(Daria Klimentova), the burgomasters daughter, marriage to Franz
(Dmitri Gruzdyev), the archetypally handsome villager. However, Franz
is spotted flirting with another girl, albeit a motionless one, who
sits on the balcony of the mysterious house of the sinister Doctor
Coppelius (James Supervia). The doctor delights in the effect his
doll is having amongst the young men of the village, and plans to
bring her to life by giving her a soul. This
first act conveys the rural simplicity of the insular village where
everyone knows everyone else. The Burgomaster (Gavin Fitzpatrick)
is delightfully spindly in a top hat and tails, and wobbles around
the stage amongst the graceful dancers, conveying a tremendous sense
of personality through his physical presence. Franz is clearly untrustworthy,
the traditional philanderer blowing kisses in all directions while
his fiancee turns a blind eye - up to a point. Her annoyance at this
Other Girl is very clear as she stamps her foot and slyly eyes the
doll up to see if she is prettier than herself. Meanwhile the stage
is awash with the whirl of brightly coloured skirts and embroidered
waistcoats, giving an impression of country festival while maintaining
the skilled choreography of classical ballet. Dr Coppelius has a shock
of wild hair and grimacing face, raising lots of laughs with his eccentric
behaviour, and the perfect antithesis to the groups of graceful dancers
that surround him. As a whole the company emits an atmosphere of naturalness
and enjoyment that sweeps the audience along. The
second act is set in Doctor Coppeliuss workshop, Swanilda and
her friends having found the key and crept inside. Meanwhile disloyal
Franz is climbing into the house via the balcony, anticipating a meeting
with the beautiful girl. Again the scenery is striking, continuing
the romantic theme with a background of dark crags that gives the
room a looming, cave-like quality. Around the room are large mechanical
toys and the bed is hung with dark, jagged rags. The young girls in
their bright costumes creeping exaggeratedly across this sinister
background in a chain of joined hands is wonderful. Daniella Cavalleri
as the Coppelia doll manages to remain remarkably still, while Swanildas
jerky rendition of the dolls inflexible movement makes her seem
almost inhuman, and is probably the most skilful and interesting dance
of the whole performance. The
final act, back in the village square, has some simple but evocative
solo performances as the village people act out the hours of the day,
and the company again manages to combine the atmosphere of a flamboyant
provincial wedding with the precision of polished choreography. Coppelia is absorbing throughout, as it manages to maintain the narrative to a level where one is watching the story through the movement and not merely watching ballet for ballets sake. Dancers, orchestra and audience alike enjoyed this good-humoured production. Jane Labous.
|