Twists of plot in Northern Ballet Theatre's version of Great Expectations might have surprised Dickens. Nor is artistic director Stefano Giannetti entirely successful in creating drama through dance.
There is much attractive choreography, particularly for the full company, and many exciting lifts, yet dancers often have to convey character and emotion through expression and mime alone. In Act I, for instance, Estelle shows her vanity and supposed superiority by a super cilious air, yet the choreography of her solo wrongly suggests a youthful innocence untouched by Miss Havisham's influence. Though beautifully danced by Charlotte Talbot, it is only near the end of Act II that the choreography itself expresses the despair Estelle then feels.
Giannetti's most successful mirroring of mood through movement is in Mrs Joe's anger when Pip arrives with no food, and Fiona Wallis expresses this perfectly. Charlotte Broom, much admired last year in Carmen, also dances splendidly, but surely Miss Havisham would have been better conveyed by a character role rather than a display of virtuosity by a ballerina? Jeremy Kerridge is an athletic and moving Mag witch, helped by Daniel And rade's sympathetic Pip, who also makes a fine partner for Talbot.
Steve Scott's lighting dramatically reveals Miss Havisham enveloped in flames, but Benita Roth's design seems totally misconceived. Approximations of realistic Victorian costumes are at odds with stylistic settings varying from modern to art deco. Nor does John Long staff's arrangement of Elgar prevent the reduced Northern Ballet Orchestra from soun ding, well, reduced.
Miss Havisham's ancient wedding cake looks like an icecream cone, while her equally ancient wedding dress looks newly-purchased. A pity, for this fine company does its utmost with much interesting, if not always appropriate, choreography.
Performances today at 2.30 p.m. (matinee) and 7.45 p.m.