Australian Ballet in London, Coliseum

The ballet press might be busy this summer with the Bolshoi dancing at Covent Garden, but the arrival of Australian Ballet in London is an event that shouldn’t pass you by.
Not seen in the UK since 2008, this is a company who in recent years have nailed a reputation for stylish, quirky updates on classical material.
In bringing two of their most successful works of the last 15 years, artistic director David Macallister is going for maximum impact. We recommend you book for them both!
Australian Ballet, Swan Lake: London’s first look
It’s risky to update a ballet so embedded in tradition, but Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake has earned consistently enthusiastic applause since its premiere in 2002.
Loosely, and never explicitly, based on the love triangle between Princess Diana, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, it’s a bitingly realistic work.
Odette has long been suspicious of Prince Siegfried’s relationship with the commanding Baroness Rothbart, but not until her wedding day does she uncover the depth of the affair. A brutal fall from grace ensues, until Odette is finally committed to a lunatic asylum, where she finds some solace in a frozen world of floating, ethereal white birds.
Those who love the classicism of the original might be disappointed by this more realist take, and the reordering of Tchaikovsky’s score (performed by the ENO Orchestra). But Odette’s famous fouetté turns are still in evidence, and Kristian Fredrikson’s set is perfect foil for Murphy’s modern drama.
Australian Ballet: Cinderella, 2016
Alexei Ratmanksy’s Cinderella clings closer to fairytale than the Swan Lake update, instead taking its liberties with raucous humour and unforgettable designs and costume by Jerome Kaplan.
That a man should recognise his love by her shoe size is innately ridiculous, and Ratmanksy plays up to the improbable tale with quirky steps. But there’s magic too, as a cast of planets guide Cinderella to her happy ending.
The result is roguish rather than avant garde. Ratmanksy, regarded by many as one of the best living choreographers, knows how to please the audience as well as the critics. The step-sisters and maniacal stepmother remain suitably panto, foiling Cinderella’s dreams in bulbous skirts, kneehigh socks and beehive hair.
Modern, clever and visually breathtaking, expect this Australian Ballet appearance to be a highlight amongst the ballet shows in London this summer.

Sponsored by Raymond Gubbay for Australian Ballet