A mesmerising look at life of Egyptian queen
If the stories are to be believed, Cleopatra, Egypt’s most famous queen, went through rather a lot - of men that is. And in Northern Ballet’s celebrated production, we examine her tempestuous love life, from the ill-fated marriage to her brother Ptolemy, a second marriage to Julius Caesar and finally a jealousy-filled love affair with Mark Antony.
But if my interpretation of David Nixon’s wonderful choreography is correct, it was her love of power, brought on stage in the slithery form of the god and protector of the pharoahs, Wadjet, that really got her going - and eventually led her to death.
Martha Leebolt was captivating as the Egyptian queen, and the male leads were all commanding in their way, but for me it was Kenneth Tindall as Wadjet whose performance was most memorable . The beautiful performances combined with stunning sets and spine-tingling music made for another instant classic from Northern Ballet.