Northern Ballet's Ugly Duckling: comedic and engaging for all ages!

Julie Nunès and Wesley Branch in Northern Ballet's Ugly Duckling

Holly Slater, Julie Nunès and Leah Allen in Northern Ballet's Ugly Duckling

Harry Boucher, Holly Slater, Leah Allen and Julie Nunès in Ugly Duckling

Wesley Branch and Julie Nunès in Northern Ballet's Ugly Duckling

By Viki Westall, 25 February 2023

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“a wily fox, with plenty of swagger and excellent tail management for his pirouettes”

Reviewed at Buxton Opera House, Buxton on 22 February 2023

Ugly Duckling (Dreda Blow, Sebastian Loe)

Northern Ballet

David Gillan, Set Designer

Julie Anderson, Costume Designer

Alastair West, Lighting Designer

Northern Ballet Sinfonia

Holly Slater, Dancer

Michael Maple, Dancer

To be or not to be: Hamlet returns to the Buxton Festival

Mark Pullinger, 16th July

After 45 years, Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet returns to Buxton in a gripping, psychological staging by Jack Furness.

****1

From the ballroom to the trenches: The Land of Might-Have-Been

Sarah Noble, 15th July

Setting the life of Vera Brittain to the music of Ivor Novello, Buxton Festival's new musical is a welcome if overambitious showcase for them both.

***11

Arcadia in the Peak District: Mozart's Il re pastore in Buxton

Sarah Noble, 9th July

Mozart's early opera seria may not be his greatest achievement – but lightness of touch from all involved highlight its charms in Jack Furness' new production.

***11

Caesar conquers Buxton: ETO's slimmed-down Giulio Cesare

Sarah Noble, 11th May

Top notch singing, judicious pruning and production which prioritises human drama over camp spectacle make for an illuminating take on Handel's most frequently staged opera.

****1

Time on her side: fairytale meets feminism in Tom Coult’s Violet

Sarah Noble, 18th July

A top notch ensemble brings Coult’s first opera luminously to life at the Buxton International Festival, finding renewed relevance in the post-pandemic era.

****1

La donna del lago in Buxton: glorious music, confusing production

Peter Connors, 15th July

Buxton International Festival presents Rossini's exhilarating La donna del lago with fine singing, but it is undermined by Jacopo Spirei's staging.

***11

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Viki Westall

Viki trained at The Royal Ballet School and The Hammond School of Dancing before joining London Festival Ballet at the age of 17. She danced there for 7 years before moving to Northern Ballet Theatre where she became a principal, dancing and creating many major roles. After retiring from the stage Viki worked as Events Manager for Northern Ballet, then followed her heart into teaching, guesting at many of the top vocational schools in the UK and also in Italy. She now teaches on the graduate programme at Northern Ballet Academy, has her own Pilates Studio at Chatsworth and also writes and reviews for dance magazines.