La Fille Mal gardee: Ashton's Masterpiece

This is a brilliant ballet, and, in my opinion, Frederick Ashton's best full-length ballet. Although it is essentially a 'light' ballet with minimal character development and a light romantic plot it is noted for it's excellent choreography by Ashton and evocative sets and costumes by Osbert Lancaster. Between them they transformed this very French-sounding ballet into an idyllic pastiche of the English Romantic countryside; a countryside which never existed but which many can imagine.The dancing and characterisation(especially Lesley Collier as Lise)is of a very high standard. This is a fun ballet with plenty of humour and can be enjoyed both by ballet newcomers and balletomanes.