In these cold, damp days of late November/early December various signs of the impending festive season appear on the streets and in shops. But none of these tidings imbue me with much in the way of Christmas spirit. Fortunately, though, the one thing that never fails to relieve the gloom and fill me with anticipation for the remainder of the year is here – Scottish Ballet’s annual festive programme has arrived at the Festival Theatre.
This year it’s The Snow Queen, based on the Hans Christian Anderson story, and it is an absolute joy. Everything about it – Christopher Hampson’s choreography, Lez Brotherson’s sets and the music of Rimsky-Korsakov played by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra, lay down a splendid platform for the dancers to bring the magic of the tale to life.
The story begins in the Ice Palace, where the Snow Queen (Jessica Fyfe) and her sister the Summer Princess (Melissa Polson) live in isolation. The Summer Princess longs to leave, and persuades her sister to use her enchanted mirror to show them the future. When she sees herself in the embrace of a handsome man, she decides she has to find him, leaving the Snow Queen alone in her palace.
Years pass, and the Summer Princess has become Lexi, living on her wits and picking pockets in the market to survive. (One of the high points of this production is how Melissa Polson convinces in this transformation, probably the best I’ve seen in the role). Then one day a circus, led by Zach the Ringmaster (Benjamin Thomas) and his wife Mazelda the Fortune Teller (Grace Horler) comes to town and Lexi, while working the audience, spots young couple Gerda (Kayla-Maree Tarantolo) and Kai (Bruno Micchiardi) and realises Kai is the man she saw in the mirror.
Just as events gather pace, the Snow Queen appears, time freezes, and she departs with a spellbound Kai, leaving Gerda and Lexi to form an unlikely alliance as they set off in pursuit. A quest where they are beset by Snowflakes, Jackfrosts and Snow Wolves in this role reversal situation – for would not more traditional tales have had a male hero setting out to rescue his fair maiden?
I do not have one bad word to say about this production, it is quite faultless in every regard but the four lead characters must be singled out for extra praise, Kayla-Maree Tarantolo as Gerda brings such emotional power to the role that you cannot take your eyes off her, Melissa Polson is wonderful in her dual role as Lexi/Summer Princess, Bruno Micchiardi excels as both a young man in love with Gerda and the emotionless slave to the Snow Queen, his dancing with each demanding entirely different styles and Jessica Fyfe as the Snow Queen herself, somewhat sidelined until that magnificent performance in the final act.
In short, The Snow Queen is a dramatic, colourful and magical treat for ballet lovers and is also guaranteed to win over any in the audience who might be sampling the delights of Scottish Ballet for the first time.
Jim Welsh
Radio Summerhall Arts 