Review: Scottish Ballet's The Snow Queen at Newcastle Theatre Royal
Despite its icy name, The Snow Queen was a heart-warming show which proved how beautiful ballet can be
Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale (which, fun fact, also inspired the popular Disney film Frozen), this was a story of love told through sensational music and dance.
We were introduced to three central female characters: Gerda on a quest to rescue her true love, pickpocket Lexi who is always by her side, and the enchanting Snow Queen (who, together with her wolves, stole the show in our opinion).
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My partner quietly commented on the exquisite costumes (particularly those of the circus ringmaster), but I was far too focused on the fantastic sets which fluidly took us from the bustle of a market in winter, into an eery forest, and on to the icy realms of the Snow Queen’s palace. A lot of the more intimate scenes were framed by clever lighting. The ballet was to the music of Russian composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and the full Scottish Ballet Orchestra were performing live but the music was so faultless we had to keep glancing down to check.
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A shorter show than what we’re used to (it reached its interval after just 40 minutes), this was the perfect tale for first-time ballet goers – but it was far from amateur. From the acrobatic performances of the circus cast to the delicate moves of Lexi and Gerda, it was a showcase of all that ballet has to offer. If you missed it this time, we’re sure it’ll be back on the road again soon.
