Plenty of life in Bintley's Penguin Café

By Mark Pullinger, 04 November 2017

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“a zoological cabaret that's like a hybrid of Strictly and Planet Earth”

Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 3 November 2017

Arcadia (Ruth Brill)

The Fairy's Kiss (Le Baiser de la fée) (Michael Corder)

'Still Life' at the Penguin Café (David Bintley)

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Paul Murphy, Conductor

Royal Ballet Sinfonia

Brandon Lawrence, Dancer

Céline Gittens, Dancer

Jenna Roberts, Dancer

Lachlan Monaghan, Dancer

Momoko Hirata, Dancer

Ruth Brill, Dancer

Maureya Lebowitz, Dancer

Tzu-Chao Chou, Dancer

Laura Day, Dancer

Tyrone Singleton, Dancer

Mathias Dingman, Dancer

Finnish National Ballet delight in David Bintley’s A Christmas Carol

Maggie Foyer, 30th November

Skilfully drawn characters and excellent dancing make this a great alternative to the plethora of Nutcrackers during the festive season.

****1

David Bintley's Aladdin: a beloved production returns to Tokyo

Naomi Mori, 14th June

National Ballet of Japan has revived Sir David Bintley’s Aladdin for the first time in five years and it shows how the company has developed since the premiere in 2008.

****1

National Ballet of Japan kicks off 2022 with stylish New Year Ballet

Naomi Mori, 14th January

National Ballet of Japan successfully performs two very different pieces, George Balanchine's Theme and Variations and David Bintley's Still Life at the Penguin Café, amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

****1

New Year Ballet creates a buzz with “Still Life” at the Penguin Café

Naomi Mori, 11th January

New Year Ballet displayed the versatility of the National Ballet of Japan, from the 19th-century classic Paquita, to three works by Japanese choreographers and David Bintley's “Still Life” at the Penguin Café.

****1

Birmingham Royal Ballet's Nutcracker rescued for online audiences

Graham Watts, 21st December

Outstanding performances all-around in this special treat for Christmas

*****

Traditional to the core: BRB's Giselle returns

Graham Watts, 28th September

The welcome return of a thoughtful interpretation of this much-loved ballet

****1

More reviews...

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

There's still plenty of life in Bintley's Penguin Café