La Fille mal gardée sounds like the title of a naughty French boulevard farce, but Frederick Ashton’s ballet, designed by Osbert Lancaster, could not be more English. Pastorally pure and innocent, it is a joy to watch. The ballet, pretty and charming, sweet and innocent, lyrical and sentimental, whimsical and farcical, was an immediate success at its premiere in 1960 with critics, public and especially little girls who love Shetland ponies. Marie Rambert hailed the ballet as the first great English classic. Lise, a farmer’s wayward daughter, is in love with Colas, a handsome farm lad, but her widowed mother wants her to marry Alain, the rich son of a prosperous vineyard owner. The difference between Colas and Alain is plain for everybody to see. Alain has not reached puberty and Colas obviously has. There is plenty of gentle humour throughout; and not least when mum locks Lise in her bedroom, unaware that Colas is already in the room. The couple are later discovered in flagrante delicto. La Fille mal gardée may be undemanding for the audience, but Ashton’s choreography is, extremely demanding for the dancers. There are some dazzling leaps and spins, pirouettes and levitations. There are attractive dances with scythes, sticks and pretty pink ribbons which are put to a variety of pretty uses. The maypole dance, joyfully and expertly executed, is an intricate delight. Beatrice Parma and Enrique Bejarno Vidal as Lise and Colas are enchanting and especially so when they are playing with a pink ribbon, twining and ducking and creating a cat’s cradle. Gus Payne is comically twee as Alain, the shy simpleton, who loves his red umbrella more than any girl and rides the umbrella as if it was a hobby horse. Rory Mackay’s widowed mum, nicely mimed, is a classic music hall act in the tradition of the great Dan Leno, the greatest pantomime dame, clog dance and all. Birmingham Royal Ballet’s La Fille mal gardée is a perfect ballet for the whole family. To learn more about Robert Tanitch and his reviews, click here to go to his website.
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