Irek Mukhamedov in rehersal © Bill Cooper 'Prince and the Pauper' reviews recent LCB reviews more Jeffery Taylor reviews

Mukhamedov's latest creation is an ambitious and surprisingly sophisticated full-length work, The Prince and The Pauper, for the London Children's Ballet with young dancers 9-16 years old. Based on Mark Twain's hugely popular fable about mistaken identity in Tudor England, the project is clearly a huge risk for Mukhamedov, gambling the public's expectation of excellence associated with his name on a bunch of kids, however endearing.

Irek Mukhamedov and Matthew Edwardson in reheasal
© Bill Cooper

Mukhamedov's answer is to give no quarter. The cast may consist of small people, but the ballet is on a grand scale. Two acts and sixteen scenes and a cast of 57 with real steps and structured stage patterns to grace any Opera House, eddy and flow with impeccable timing and taste. The casting is a delight, particularly the 15-year-old Edwardson twins in the title roles, Prince Edward (Matthew) and street urchin Tom (Oliver) whose adventures when they swap places in society point Twain's moral that tolerance and humility are common to Prince and Pauper. When the boys are face to face, one in rags the other in satin, you have to pinch yourself that it is not computer generated. This is the Real Thing and Mukhamedov exploits nature's own special effect for all it is worth. For a laugh they change status and clothes but why bother? And he confounds the double illusion by placing the boys in front of a mirror. And for the rest of the ballet, too, the boys have it.

Matthew and Oliver Edwardson
© Bill Cooper

Mukhamedov, the greatest actor/dancer of his generation, has miraculously coaxed vivid and defined characterisations from Andre Lockey as Tom's father, the charismatic Juan Pulido Macias as Miles Hendon, the foot soldier who befriends the ragamuffin Prince, while a highlight of Act II is the group of pint sized, white ruffed anarchical page boys who bring chaos to the heir to the throne's morning ablutions.

Including a commissioned score by Timothy Hammond, all the ingredients of the serious story ballet are there, the prostitutes delicately programmed as Loose Women - the Court minuettes, the anguished solos as the two boys learn their lessons in life, and all told through real steps and genuine acting.

Mukhamedov has opted to challenge his young artists with high expectations rather than patronise them with an unstructured romp. And there are two performances today for you to enjoy the result.