Culture Writer Aislin Slater reviews Sleeping Beauty Dreams, praising the talent of the young performers in this Birmingham Royal Ballet production
Sleeping Beauty Dreams, an adaptation of the popular ballet The Sleeping Beauty, is the fourth production in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Dreams project, which provides talented amateur students with the opportunity to take part in a professional production. In the original Sleeping Beauty choreography, Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund (portrayed in this production by members of the Birmingham Royal Ballet company) take authority over the deliverance of the tale; but Sleeping Beauty Dreams uses its host of lesser characters to convey Princess Aurora’s narrative.
Although overall effective, some elements are lost within the dance at times as various moments have been altered, shortened, and omitted from the storyline. For example, during the Prologue, the majority of the time is given to the dance students; six Fairy solos, three Cavallers take centre stage, and a series of groups display their excitement for the birth of a new princess. Although the staging and choreography is designed to showcase the talents of the performers, the evil Fairy Carabosse does not enter until the final moments of the prologue to keep the original storyline on track.
Sleeping Beauty Dreams is a highly enjoyable and charming performance to witness
This drags out the celebrations for an unnecessary amount of time and rushes the deliverance of the plot at the end. It is not until Princess Aurora’s entrance in Act I and Prince Florimund during Act II that the ballet smooths over into a manageable, coherent storyline. This issue aside, Sleeping Beauty Dreams is a highly enjoyable and charming performance to witness.
Many contributing factors fashion such an exceptional occasion, the first of which becomes apparent upon arrival at the Birmingham Hippodrome. The atmospheric charge of the foyer buzzes with families exchanging their excitement of watching loved ones on stage, which continues into the theatre itself. This adds to the personal value of the production, since the full audience shows loving support for the people on stage.
Lighting is used throughout to illustrate the mood of each scene. For example, the Lilac Fairy represents good nature, which is conveyed through gold illuminating the stage in her presence, in contrast with the darkness and special effects utilised for the evil Fairy Carabosse. The lighting is also used successfully to make all of the dancers visible even when they are not the main focus. During Princess Aurora’s solo, the costumes of the six fairies behind her glitter, removing a portion of the focus away from the titular character and towards the young students. This, once again, strengthens the success of the production highlighting the talent of young students.
Lighting is used throughout to illustrate the mood of each scene
Through the use of inclusive choreography, a range of levels are displayed in the performance, with solos and duets tying effortlessly in with the group movements. In rare moments, younger students are visibly out of time (for example, heads swaying in different directions or some jumping when others have not left the floor), and in a professional production this would be a major flaw within the sequence. However, with children so young performing on such a large scale, the minor issues of timing only add to the delightful nature of the event.
It was wonderful to witness the next generation of ballet students have an opportunity to display their talents
With the support of the four members of the Birmingham Royal Ballet on stage, it was wonderful to witness the next generation of ballet students have an opportunity to display their talents. The young soloists seize their moment, moving with the grace and professionalism of full-time performers. The ensemble dancers contribute to the unfolding events by reacting and interacting with those around them, never allowing motion to cease. Sleeping Beauty Dreams is a wonderful showcase of local talent, paving a future in the arts for the next generation of students who all possess the potential to grow their skills and feature in professional productions in the years to come.
Rating: 4/5
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