A Tale Of Two Cities, West Yorkshire Playhouse

The guillotine-shaped curtain comes down on Northern Ballet Theatre’s production of Cathy Marston’s ballet A Tale Of Two Cities as self-sacrificing Sydney Carton lowers his head for the blade.

A pity that the curtain didn’t come down about ten minutes sooner. I thought the 16 scenes in this two-act adaptation of the Dickens novel were a couple too many; and was it really essential to have three variations of Lucie Manette and two Dr Manettes, among the 18 main characters (there were also 29 dancers)?

My only other criticism of this otherwise visually vivid production was that Marston, whose brilliance as a choreographer was amply demonstrated by Northern Ballet’s marvellous dancers, was not bold enough in her adaptation.

For me the plot was too complicated, with past and present sometimes taking place simultaneously. Suitcases and little Lucie Manette kept coming and going, like a Laurel and Hardy silent routine; likewise Charles Darnay’s cravat and Dr Manette’s Bastille testimony.

Revolutionary Paris and London were established by hand and dance movements that were respectively staccato and angular, and easy and flowing. The costumes, set, lighting and David Maric’s modernistic score – with hints of Stravinsky, Beethoven and Mozart – perfectly complemented the choreography.

Maybe some in the near- capacity house were disappointed that the dancing and music were not more conventional. But this was never going to be Swan Lake.

In some of the London scenes there was comedy and not a little wit in the dance routines. In contrast, the dances in Paris were dramatic and, especially at the close of the first half, thrilling; the robotic, jerky hand movements of the mob, as though gutting fish, or men, were especially well done.

There are five more performances of A Tale Of Two Cities at West Yorkshire Playhouse, up to and including Saturday, starting at 7.30pm. For tickets ring (0113) 2137700.