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Everything about Kenneth MacMillan’s version of this Imperial Russian extravaganza guarantees a feel good evening out. MacMillan skilfully highlights the work’s twin objectives, an in depth demonstration of the company’s classical expertise and a life affirming journey through rites of passage, good’s inevitable defeat of evil and the magic of the male/female union. Every bar of Tchaikovsky’s thrilling score breathes the joy and beauty of movement to music, and the dancers respond with disciplined gusto and flat out attack, occasionally failing to meet the technical challenges but always with appealing and honest intent.
 

Andre Portasio’s wicked fairy Carabosse, a queenly figure, clearly relishes working out ways to make people’s lives a misery and his touch of high camp is in the best possible taste. I swear last Thursday I saw Paul O’Grady making notes in the stalls.

But the loudest cheers from an audience packed with their professional peers were for Agnes Oaks (Princess Aurora) and Thomas Edur’s Prince Desire. Edur recently suffered a leg injury and was out last week to prove his fitness. His obvious delight at his flawless virtuosity as he soared through the final Act 3 celebrations was more than matched by his highly vocal reception. Oaks’s technique is based on knowledge, care and years of gut wrenching hard work, the result is irresistibly high quality matched to an unforced charm and deeply satisfying authority. Wayne Eagling is a lucky man.