The Royal Ballet in Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella

This year, the Royal Ballet has revived Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella as its Christmas ballet…

Royal Ballet in Frederick Ashton’s ‘Cinderella’, Fumi Kaneko/William Bracewell cast. © ROH/Andrej Uspenski

Royal Ballet
Cinderella
★★✰✰✰
London, Royal Opera House
28 December 2024
www.rbo.org.uk

I’m all of a dither about writing on the latest revival of the Royal Ballet’s (RB) Cinderella. It’s by Frederick Ashton and one of the pieces that made his name and the company’s name three-quarters of a century ago. You diss Ashton and as night follows day, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will shortly be paying you a visit. But I’m afraid time moves on, and even despite the excellent redesign in 2023, it doesn’t really feel like a great show at all. It is certainly impressive in parts, but do the good and interesting elements of the Ashton choreographic legacy outweigh the leaden weight of tedious drama that simply does not work very well? I think not.

The main problem with Ashton’s Cinderella is the Step Sisters. So much of the choreography is clearly intended to be funny pantomime, but it fails to deliver. Occasionally, it might raise a titter, but for the most part, it is embarrassingly poor, and no one smiles or laughs. The first act is the worst in this respect, but the Step Sisters’ choreography rarely works throughout the night. I do not blame the dancers for this; the steps and production itself are at fault. I have never, ever, seen a pair that made it work¹. I’m afraid changing the costumes to the best of the three designs I have seen still leaves a feeling of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

While I appreciate some of the luxurious steps for the fairies of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, who nominally come to help Cinderella get ready for the ball, it feels like a non-narrative interlude designed to test four soloists. The child in me screams, “Interestingly worthy, but what has happened to the narrative?” And this Cinders includes a Jester, in the ‘great’ Russian tradition - another soloist role that does not advance the narrative and, rather tweely, gets in the way.

So, what do I like in the Ashton’s Cinderella? Well, the music of course, so full of light and shade. The new designs by Tom Pye (sets), Alexandra Byrne (costumes) and Finn Ross (video) work well and have a 1940s/50s look reminiscent of The Red Shoes, gently pumped-up a little. Dance-wise, the final pas de deux for Cinderella and her prince is divine, as is the earlier duet in the ballroom. It features beautifully restrained movement, almost chaste, yet achingly romantic, full of little flurries and pauses. Natalia Osipova and Reece Clarke certainly deliver the classy goods, and it’s great to see Osipova dancing again after her injury. Hers is a Cinderella that may be put down by others, but she is dignity personified and knows which way is up. I also appreciate the formal classical ending, as all the characters assemble and present themselves in lines of reverence, as well as the work for the four fairies when dancing together. And I always admire the Stars - the corps de ballet dancers who deliver a complex routine in waves and circles that still looks fresh - that is a timeless bit of Ashton. Finally, I have to praise Leo Dixon, Téo Dubreuil, Denilson Almeida and Aiden O’Brien as the Prince’s Friends - terrifically together in all they do, which is rare at RB.

I thought long and hard about giving the show two stars, given that it features some seriously good movement in places. However, ultimately, I remember this Cinderella for its deficiencies and movement that delivers frustration rather than magic. For some time, it has not been a keeper of a production, and it really ought to be replaced. Perhaps the designs could be reused, retaining the best of Ashton while a trusted narrative choreographer makes it more magical, especially for children. But I suspect the chances of this happening are beyond slim at best — the rest of this season’s long run is effectively sold out (even with stalls tickets at £190 a pop) and we are probably doomed to seeing it until the new costumes fall apart in 25 years.

On a happier note, Birmingham Royal Ballet will shortly tour their 14-year-old version of Cinderella by David Bintley, and that delivers a good, coherent evening. It’s certainly a Cinders I look forward to seeing again. I need to stop now - it looks like some Horsemen have appeared at the door…