Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo

The Trocks are back and as fabulous as ever, my fourth time of seeing and a fan for around twenty years so my expectations were high – and I was not to be disappointed. In a world coming to drag saturation point this company are at the very pinnacle of the form, the costumes, the comedy, the characterisations are so well made and so well performed. But that is only the half of it.

The Trocks as they are affectionately known take the whole thing to a higher level by actually being a ballet company of exceptionally talented classical dancers, all of them properly trained, so when they hit the stage to deliver Les Sylphides or Swan Lake they give an accomplished performance, accomplished with the addition of humour. Their over exaggerated ballet mime is hysterical in every sense, the comedy gained from a pas de trois delivered by two towering “prima ballerinas” supported by the tiniest member of the company in a male role has the audience roaring, and a member of the corps de ballet who cannot resist mugging to the audience and then losing “her” place in an otherwise well drilled formation is a gag that just keeps on giving.

Their dying swan, a dance that I guess they would dare not omit, is as funny as ever but again beautifully executed. There are moments where the quality of the dance and the beauty of the music that they choose to perform to will almost convince you that you are watching one of the great dance companies… then suddenly a principal will deliver Michael Jacksons’ famous “moon walk”, backwards and on point! Yes much of the dance is delivered on point, the company dancing on tippy toes with total ease.

Each dancer has a comedy name, too many to list here, and in truth the whole, whilst featuring many excellent solo performers, is all about ensemble and the Trocks are one of the best ensembles around, and that is for dance as well as for comedy. This was my fourth viewing but I will not hesitate to be back for a fifth and more if I am lucky.

Andrew Kay

24 September

Brighton Dome Concert Hall

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