Review: Royal Ballet's Don Quixote
This autumn has seen one of the most highly anticipated classical dance events of the year - Carlos Acosta’s directorial debut for The Royal Ballet with his new production of Don Quixote. Acosta has previously directed his own shows, such as ‘Tocoroco - a Cuban Tale’, but in his fifteen years at The Royal Ballet this is a major first for the company. Don Quixote is one of the happiest ballets around and Acosta has delivered a production full of lightness and humour with a re-orchestration of Ludwig Minkus's cheerful score by Martin Yates. Not only are the cast incredible dancers, who make single-handed lifts and thirty two fouettés look effortless, they are also good actors which emphasises the show’s charming quality. There’s passion and playfulness between Acosta and Marianela Nuñez as Basilio and Kitri as they tease, fall in love, bicker and make up all over again. Physical comedy is boundless with the likes of Christopher Saunders’ Don Quixote, his sidekick Sancho Panza play