Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo at The Peacock Theatre

You can quite easily divide humans up in to two groups; those who enjoy a laugh and those who don’t. Whilst it may be rare to find someone who doesn’t enjoy laughing as much as the majority, these people do exist, god bless them. Don’t worry though because I’ve found the perfect cure. Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo is the best medicine for a grump and I would be surprised to learn of any grumpy audience member who didn’t break into a laugh when watching them. Perhaps you’ve had a bad day or maybe you’re just someone from the grumpy side of life but trust me, after five minutes of watching the ‘Trocks’ your frown will literally be turned upside down. Comedy in ballet isn’t new, but it can be quite rare and difficult to get right. When I interviewed Claire Calvert from The Royal Ballet, she told me that getting into character for the Queen of Hearts in Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice in Wonderland was a tough one, because trying to get the balance right with comedy and ballet is never easy. Ballet is loved as an art form for promoting discipline, control and technique but to turn this on its head and get a laugh out of it isn’t easy. Enter the Trocks - a dance troupe made up entirely of male dancers who drag up, pointe shoes and all, to mock some of our much loved ballet works. I’ve been watching them for years, probably since I was about eight years old, so I always feel a sense of comfort and warmth when I see them again. The variation in their programme isn’t too different to what it was when all those years ago and yes, many of the gags are still the same, but when the jokes are this good, who really cares if you’ve seen them all before? One thing that still amazes me every time I’ve seen them is the fact they dance on pointe. I’m amazed at their technique, their balances, their pirouettes! The technique needs to be strong and secure to ensure that the comedic effect works but I still find it so entertaining to see them dance around the stage in pointe shoes. I attended the Programme ‘A’ show at The Peacock theatre. The opening piece was their spoof of Swan Lake - a Trocks family classic and one that never fails to put an audience in stitches. I’ve seen them do it many times but it always makes me laugh and I always love watching their hilarious take on classical mime. This is the side of their show that may get a bit more lost on people who don’t see the ballet that much, but for me, some of my favourite Trocks gags are when they are laughing at traditional mime. Long Zou, whose alter ego ‘Nina Enimenimynimova’ danced Odette, was actually pretty mesmerising on pointe. Yes it was funny and there was the right amount of Trock sass, but the technique was wonderful. Swan Lake’s corps of swans is begging for a parody and there’s no one better to deliver it than the Trocks. Their swans are hilarious, legendary even, making audience members of all ages laugh until they cry. That’s something else I love about them. Their slapstick humour is for everyone. Even for those who’ve never seen ballet before will find that there will be something on stage for them that they will find amusing. This inclusivity really is at the heart of why they are such a well loved troupe. The contemporary side of the programme, with their spoof of Merce Cunningham, is also a treat. Anyone with even a vague understanding of contemporary dance and music will find this hilarious but again, for those who don’t, you’ll still find the experimental music delightfully entertaining. The Trocks much loved classic The Dying Swan was also part of the programme as was their tale on the more unfamiliar work Trovatiara. They closed the evening with The Little Humpback Horse, a work I’d never heard of but one that is staged more frequently, I believe, in Russia. Although some good gags and humour were part of this act, it really showed off the technical talent of the company. Again that pointe work is something to see and it’s great to see their fast paced virtuoso footwork in all of its glory. A special mention must go to Robert Carter who has been dancing with the company for years and who I’ve grown up watching. For me, he is the pearl of this dazzling oyster and without him I think there would be a noticeable gap. His fouettes are unbelievable and always cause a mighty uproar amongst the audience. This run was no different and he pirouetted like a pro.

As we all celebrate World Ballet Day today and the more serious ballet companies of the world, let’s not forget what the Trocks are doing and how much laughter and joy they bring to their audience. Whoever is curating World Ballet Day 2019 should give these ladies a shout. If I’m watching rehearsals of Manon at English National Ballet and Mayerling at The Royal Ballet, I’m going to want a laugh sandwiched in between the two at some point and who better to give it to us than the Trocks?