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Petrushka is a ballet of its time (1911) which could look very dated. It’s the story of three animated dolls who are controlled by a showman. Petrushka, the clown, is in love with the Ballerina who wants to be with the Moor. The ballet is set at a winter fair in St Petersburg. After their show the showman tantalises Petrushka by putting the Ballerina in his compartment. The ballerina wants to be with the Moor and goes. Petrushka breaks out and goes to the Moor’s compartment. The Moor kills him in front of the assembled crowd, who cannot believe they were only animated dolls. The showman shows them the straw body of Petrushka as Petrushka’s spirit rises above the tent.

BRB gave two sparkling performances on Saturday. They made the fair scene come alive with their animated acting and it was a real spectacle. Alexander Campbell was magnificent as Petrushka in the matinee performance, giving an intelligent and moving portrayal of the sad doll. Kosuke Yamamoto was equally compelling in the evening. I must say that the overall quality of the performances really brought this ballet alive – well done BRB!

The middle ballet of the three was Michael Corder’s new Le Baiser de la Fee. John P McFarlane’s set was simple but stunning – really giving the feeling of being in an icy winter place. The costumes were all fabulous and the lighting enhanced the setting. A mother and babe in arms are caught out in a storm. They are seen by the Fairy, who kisses the baby to make him her own. The mother dies, but before the Fairy can claim the boy, villagers appear and the baby is taken in by them. We then move to the boy’s wedding day and all is joyful. The Fairy comes to claim her own.

The company were on tremendous form in this new work. There is lots of pretty choreography for the corps and a couple of beautiful duets for the boy and his fiancé and the boy and the Fairy. In the evening, Alexander Campbell (on whom the role was created) just inhabited the role of the boy and gave a multi-layered and intelligent portrayal. His stage persona is growing all the time, to the point that he is becoming unmissable. Jenna Roberts was positively glacial as the Fairy and Natasha Oughtred was delightfully soft as his fiancé.

Jenna Roberts as the Fairy, Alexander Campbell as the Young Man and Tom Rogers and Aonghus Hoole as Sprites in Le Baiser de la Fee
© Bill Cooper

The final ballet of the evening was John Cranko’s Card Game, again a piece of its time that could have looked very dated. The company looked as though they were having a ball with the quirky, witty choreography. Kosuke Yamamoto was mischievous and impish as the Joker at the matinee while Jamie Bond was somehow harder edged and more malicious in the evening. Both Victoria Marr and Samara Downs got a lot of humour into the Queen of Hearts role and both were absolutely superb.

All in all, this is a satisfying programme with something for everyone to enjoy. The Company are on tremendous form.