Starstruck

Festival Theatre, 7/5/26

Scottish Ballet, director Christopher Hampson

Original choreography & direction for ‘Pas de Dieux’ Gene Kelly

Additional choreography & scenario Christopher Hampson

Design & additional scenario Lez Brotherston

Artistic collaborator Patricia Ward Kelly

Music by George Gershwin, Maurice Ravel, & Frédéric Chopin

Scottish Ballet Orchestra, guest conductor Martin Yates

After casting my vote in the morning, I was in dire need of some total escapism by the evening, and I certainly got it in ‘Starstruck’, Scottish Ballet’s loving tribute to the wonderful Gene Kelly. As well as being a divine dancer who took inspiration from ballet, jazz, tap, and other styles to create a new and inspiring American type of dance, Kelly was a gifted choreographer, film star and director.

At the heart of 'Starstruck' is his ‘Pas de Dieux’, a 45-minute piece created for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1960 to ‘Concerto in F’ by George Gershwin. Director Christopher Hampson has added a prequel and postscript to this work, using the music of Maurice Ravel and Frédéric Chopin, and re-setting Kelly’s work like a sparkling precious stone. First produced by Scottish Ballet after Covid in a shorter version, this expanded version gives audiences a more complete and satisfying story.

‘Starstruck' begins during rehearsals for a new work being created by the Choreographer, who bears a striking resemblance to Kelly himself. He auditions various dancers, but none of them is right for the star role. Enter the Star Ballerina, who (surprise, surprise) is perfect. Tenderness ensues, but the Choreographer’s neglect drives her to leave. The depressed Choreographer then dreams of a Hollywood extravaganza, where behind a transparent screen whirling dancers in monochrome garments create a black and white film. He watches the shadowy figures flickering across the screen, joins them, but loses the girl.

I was sitting next to an eminent dance critic up from London for the performance, and during the interval he told me he thinks Scottish Ballet are edgier and push the boundaries of dance further than any other major ballet company in the UK. I agreed with him.

In Act II the Star Ballerina returns, all is forgiven, and the dress rehearsal of ‘Pas de Dieux’ takes place. Kelly’s only ballet for the stage was created over 65 years ago, and time has added an extra patina of charm to his exciting choreography. America meets Europe, jazz meets classical music, and modern dance meets ballet in an intermingling of styles which now seems perfectly natural but at the time was revolutionary.

In ‘Pas de Dieux’ a quarrel between Zeus and Aphrodite leads Aphrodite and her sidekick Eros to head for the South of France, intent on causing a spot of havoc among mortal lovers. It’s a good excuse for bathing costumes and a hunky Lifeguard. Two male dancers perform a ‘pick me’ dance which descends into a dancing brawl or a brawling dance. Eventually everyone makes up, and the story of Aphrodite and Zeus shades into the story of the Star Ballerina and the Choreographer in a tender reconciliation. Finally, this ballet within a ballet is premiered at the Paris Opera, with a dazzling finale. Confused? Well, this is ballet, after all, where the story is not the most important thing.

Jessica Fyfe (Star Ballerina/Aphrodite) revelled in her role and danced faultlessly. In an Act I solo her languorous movements and the sinuous piano music melded to create a perfect pas de deux/duet between dancer and piano. Bruno Micchiardi (Choreographer/Zeus) danced the Gene Kelly character, and gave both characters his all.

The musicians of Scottish Ballet Orchestra were out in force, together with the impressive addition of a grand piano in the orchestra pit. The music was magnificent, with Ravel, Chopin, and Gershwin mirroring and supporting the dancing perfectly. Live music has a flexibility which matches the dance movements in a way impossible to achieve with recorded music, no matter how good it is. The dancers are buoyed up by the musicians. Classical and contemporary dance and music fused together seamlessly.

The dancing was of the highest quality, naturally, and the music could have been presented as a standalone concert. The audience applauded rapturously and left with smiles on their faces - we were definitely Starstruck. Bravo Scottish Ballet!

Photo credit: Scottish Ballet