7 AUGUST 1953, Page 13

BALLET

The Rambert Ballet. Sadler's Wells.

AT the moment, there are three companies dancing in London, and although the most modest in size is also—at the Sadler's Wells Theatre—the least accessible, Rambert's dancers should not be missed. This ballet company has a quality all of its own; there is an evident joy and whole-heartedness in its dancing; there is that siairit of team-work which, eliminating the usual tremendous gap between corps-de-ballet and soloists, gives the feeling of perpetual rejuvenation and freshness; and above all there is that exciting element Of discovery, for wherever Rambert travels she finds dancers, designers and composers who, but for her, might never have had the oppor- tunity for developing and displaying their gifts. In their opening programme on Tuesday night, the company gave a most charming Les Sylphides in which Beryl Goldwyn in her Mazurka, and Ann Horn in the Prelude were quite outstanding. After this the latter immediately switched from her ethereal mood ilto a gay and spirited performance in Movimentos, the ballet by ilchael Charnley, which gains enormously on the Sadler's Wells gage and is danced before a particularly effective and simple set by .ouglas Smith. Frederick Ashton 's Les Masques was the least successful item of the evening, perhaps because so sophisticated a Work really needs more mature dancers than Marie Rambert has at Present at her command. Winter Night is full of atmosphere and taeatrical drama, but it loses by being over-long, and at times one even fears that Walter Gore's characteristics might be sinking into tne Iv re mannerisms. It does, however, give a great opportunity to 'arY Munro as the rejected lover in the eternal triangle.

LILLIAN BROWSE.