BALLET
Ballet Workshop. (Mercury Theatre.)— Swan Lake. (Sadler's Wells)
BALLET WORKSHOP has opened its autumn season'with quite a good programme. I must frankly confess I have no idea what Henry Haythorne 's Trialogue in Movement is all about. The comparison between three styles of dancing is evident, but why the Predators (not to be found in the Oxford Dictionary) have to kill one of the Blinded and in turn get driven off by An Idealist, I couldn't pretend to guess. Peter Darrell's pas-de-trois, Trio, is happily devoid of any pretension. It is the serious attempt of a young choreographer to grapple with the mechanics of classical dance composition and the result is by no means negligible. Honor Frost's costumes for it are far too fussy, and I sincerely wish that tutus so . short as to reveal half the dancer's posterior could be banned for ever. Ronald Yerrell's The Alcove also has merit, it is nicely dressed by Norman McDowell and danced to music by Leonard Salzedo. There is nothing strikingly original about its composition or its theme, but originality can sometimes be a false god who should never be sought after, but should make his entry unremarked whilst experience is teaching the lessons of craftsmanship and artistry.
At Sadler's Wells, Doreen Tempest danced Odette for the first time. She was intensely nervous as any young dancer would be under such an ordeal, and as a result she literally hurled herself into the role. She has fine strong legs, a good line, and I imagine that in time she will reveal a depth of feeling. In the same programme Blood Wedding was performed with a change of cast. In relation to my review of this ballet a fortnight ago. I would like to apologise to its designer, Isabel Lambert, and to say that, owing to a stupid mistake, my criticism of her costume for Death becomes invalid.
LILLIAN BROWSE
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