The Ballad was one of the only shows I saw during the Festival that I didn't pick - maybe that's better as when it's someone else's choice, and it's bad, you have someone else to blame.
In this instance however, I have someone else to thank profusely; this show was incredible. Billed as a love story without words, the story instead is carried along by mime, dance, and aerial dance. Boy meets girl, girl likes boy, girl and boy shag, have a baby, girl dies giving birth. Very 90s. This story starts a little cheesy, but then again it's a great starting point for the direction this piece takes you.
Of course you've read all my other reviews, therefore you'd know I'm a huge supporter of any show that encourages the active suspension of disbelief. The dancing in this show is very freeform and contemporary, it's lovely, but I found myself breathless with the aerial work - it was very easy to ignore the harness on the girl and just appreciate the extra dimension the choreographer has opened up by enabling the girl to be flown. It's simply beautiful, and magical. It looked so effortless, and certainly enhanced the already magical feeling of the piece.
The show is predictable in places, tacky in others, but I found it wasn't too much of either - this is probably the tackiest show I've seen in a while (aside of Eurobeat but that's another story), and as much as I am loathe to admit; it's perfect tack. It's presented in such a beautiful way that it seems completely appropriate.
The Ballad has some darker moments, aided along by the beautiful score played by the composer herself, seated at the front right of the stage at her piano. Looking very Tori Amos-like, she plays along with the action, beautifully complimenting the dancers with appropriate music and impeccable timing. From time to time she utters deeply haunting vocals - a couple times at improbable moments, but her vocals at the end leave you disquieted - the perfect ending for a wonderful piece of theatre.
The Ballad played at Zoo Southside.
