THE NUTCRACKER is definitely not enough. Kiev Classical Ballet exposed the fact during their four-day visit by putting Peter And The Wolf and Carnival Of The Animals before the children of the Brighton and surrounding area, and their grown-ups.
The mainstream seasonal introduction of classical ballet to children seems to have made itself dependent almost entirely on The Nutcracker, in its the masterpiece by Tchaikowsky and Petipa, or in its "West End Musical" take by Matthew Bourne.
High
ly ironical, then, that, inside the last month before Christmas, and the now familiar arrival of St Petersburg Ballet Theatre in the city with Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, here come the Kiev to show us there are other ways of skinning the cat.
The Nutcracker can turn up on stages anywhere, at any time of year, with its magical fantasy of Christmas Eve and Kingdoms of toys, sweets and satsumas. But what else is there? And where is the truly genuine children's ballet?
Even though the ageing process imparts an inability never to tire of Nutcracker, children may possibly be less repeatedly attracted along. Yes, we have the other regularly appearing fairy-tale warhorses of Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and Giselle, but where is any new impetus?
The public tried out the Kiev's double bill – and the answer was in front of them. Both scenarios – the story as well as the original musical scores - are briefer than half-length ballets, but combine into a programme of suitable attention-span length.
Peter And The Wolf, for narrator and orchestra, by Prokofiev, and Carnival Of the Animals, a zoological fantasy for orchestra with two pianos by Saint-Saens, are specifically attractive music shouting out to be choreographed and costumed for a young audience.
Neither are new ballets but their neglect on the British stage is stark. Indeed, Kiev Classical, after Brighton abandon them for the rest of their UK festive tour and take Snow White and Nutcracker to Cardiff's St David's Hall over Christmas and New Year, and bring Swan Lake and Nutcracker back to Chichester from January 6-11.
With the competition from St Petersburg in Brighton, they could have put on Snow White but it is to the credit of central and southern Sussex and its audience potential that Kiev Classical Ballet opted for this experiment. And, commensurate with the arts funding of ballet in Russia and its former soviet republics, there is a live orchestra to deliver the technicolour orchestration.
Peter And The Wolf is the trickier to convert to ballet for juvenile viewers. The narrator does not speak. If this is classical ballet, he must mime, so he introduces the instruments Prokofiev brilliantly selects to match the story characters by briefly bringing onto side stage the player from the orchestra to show the audience the theme – the bassoon (Grandfather), violin (Peter), flute (Bird), oboe (Duck), clarinet (Cat), horn (Wolf) and trumpet (Hunters).
Costume colour is conspicuously full-palate and this creates the lasting impression after Peter, in dugaree shorts, has joined forces with Bird, sweetly gorgeous in yellow, light green and burnt sienna, to trap the wolf and both stay his execution by the comical rifle-pointing poachers in favour of taking up zoo residence - but also regurgitating, intact, the Duck. Staging the Duck's earlier swallowed demise is inadequately staged but the costumes, updated and bolder than in earlier Kiev productions, are vibrantly in your face.
Choreographically, the characters are distinctive and the unexpected agility of the Wolf dispels his sense of evil and makes him one of the heart winners.
Carnival Of The Animals, like Nutcracker, has a child central character encountering wildlife, although here is a spoilt child. Her contempt for her stuffed-toy animals, which she tosses dismissively into her wardrobe, is melted into respect and affection after they re-emerge from the wardrobe in an obvious cap-doff towards CS Lewis.
Unlike with Clara in the Nutcracker, they engage with the girl. It is on their terms, too – rightly, if her attitude is to be transformed. And there is a scary element when the Fossilers, presented as skeletons to reflect the xylophone music, become a harassing presence, if albeit a friendly one.
The staging wins the day. The Elephant is in loveable pantomime horse mode. The two Tortoises move around horizontally at ground level, each progressing prostrate on a skateboard to bizarrely charming effect. The Aquarium is a single glittery fish, lifted aloft in darkness by four black-clad men.
Interestingly, the Persons With Long Ears - Saint –Saens' portrayal of Donkeys - are omitted, neither are the earlier Wild Asses, although both their music accompanies other action.
The lion is a magnificent male specimen, and a huge presence on each re-appearance but the stroke of originality comes in the Swan. It is male, extremely tall, and, far from being limited to a decorative, mystical symbol, takes the final decisive hand over the girl's moral transformation. He first draws her into a pas de deux with him, then sits her down for a touching slideshow of the animal kingdom.
Both ballets are elongated by extra music. Two movements of Prokofiev's Classical Symphony appear and different but appropriate music provide finales to both productions to clinch what for both ballets are triumphs of exploration.
Despite the reduced size of the touring orchestra, they bring off the insertion of Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony final movement (its imposing start and finish) after The Carnival's own final parade has got the audience instantly clapping hands in time.
This offering, in a different part of December, is something to seize and embrace if such enterprise bravery recurs in future - especially for those who find it impossible to combine theatre visits with domestic family social duty over the Christmas period.
There should be a flyer in every Advent calendar.
