Michael Seaver reviews an adaption of Lewis Carroll's writings by Ballet Ireland.

Alice

Cork Opera House

There was much to hope for in Ballet Ireland's latest production based on Lewis Carroll's writings: a fantastical plot full of mystery, a glut of colourful, madcap characters; and the fact that it was the company's first original full-length production choreographed by artistic director Günther Falusy. Unfortunately it was the latter that most deflated expectations. Carroll provides a rich storehouse of ideas but was short-changed by the unimaginative range of expression and invention in Falusy's choreography.

The premise is simple. Lewis Carroll is seated at his desk (albeit on a foldaway black plastic chair) suffering from writer's block. Exhausted, he dozes off and dreams up the magical world of Alice, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts. Falusy plays the part of Carroll and while he may have entered this magical world in his own mind, the rest of us were left back in reality. Visually, Nick Brady's simplistic lighting also failed to seduce us into a magical place - indeed it didn't even warm up the frigid bare stage - and Werner Dittrich's costumes were classic but uninspired, cut-out Carroll reproductions.

It was left to the dancers to provide the magic, and the typical ingredients of a hat and a rabbit duly obliged. Once more the charisma of Stephen Brennan (Mad Hatter) rescued Falusy's choreography and Brazilian Flavia Semper (White Rabbit) trotted just behind in lifting the energy whenever appearing onstage. Elsewhere, attention was held by a thread as gossamer-thin choreography was spun out against a mishmash of music from Handel to Pärt. Too often the dramatic impulse came from the music rather than from a choreographic imperative and, accepting some commonalities in formal dimension and dramatic development, there was no reason why dance should be so subservient.

Many of the impressive cast are recent recruits and offer much potential to the company, but they need fresh choreographic input. A planned Diaghilev evening that includes Le Sacre du Printemps and L'Après-midi d'un Faune will offer them a challenge, but will be less forgiving than the formulaic family-friendly spectacles, such as Alice, that can gloss over cracks in production and choreography.

Alice is on tour in Ireland and Britain until June

Michael Seaver