There are several ballets in the classical canon that are heartbreaking and achingly sad- Swan Lake and Giselle come to mind immediately. There are far fewer comedies, though, and I think that comedy can be as difficult to perform as anger or sadness in ballet. The Two Pigeons is one of my favourite comedic ballets, and is from one of my favourite modern choreographers. And it just happens to be another easy to find ballet that is perfect for all ages!
*This post does include a referral code (it will be marked).
The Two Pigeons Synoposis
The Two Pigeons, also known as Les Deux Pigeons, is a ballet based on the folktale of the same name. An artist Pépio is trying to paint his lover, Gourouli, but is frustrated that she isn’t cooperating. A group of female gypsies*/ nomads enter the studio, and their leader and Gourouli fight over the large chair in the room after Pépio flights with the new woman. She then takes her followers and leaves, and Pépio follows after them. He does return to his lover, however, as the group throws him out of their camp.
*This is typically the term given in synopses, though that will hopefully change.
Why I Love The Two Pigeons
While this ballet was originally staged in the nineteenth century, the version we see now was re-imagined by Frederick Ashton in 1961. I’m a big fan of Ashton’s work, his ballets have a lightness and comedy rarely seen elsewhere, and this is peak Ashton for me.
Lauren Cuthbertson is a rare dancer who can tackle comedy, and make it look so easy- she is in most recorded versions of the ballet, and a true pleasure to watch. She is entertaining and lively and full of attitude, she will make you annoyed on her behalf. (Not a common occurrence in ballet…) Ashton is still known for his slapstick choreography that never veres into the ridiculous, and Cuthbertson is the perfect dancer to tackle it.
And if you are watching it with younger audience members, it is just over an hour- not too long!
How Can You Watch The Two Pigeons?
If seeing it live isn’t an option (and it probably isn’t- it is not terribly common outside of the Royal Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, and the Australian Ballet), you can purchase the DVD/Bluray from the Royal Opera House Shop in the Ashton Collection Volume I.
You can also watch it on Marquee TV, an arts and culture streaming service. This is one of my favourite streaming services, particularly for all of the Royal Ballet productions, including Pigeons. You can get a free 7 day trial before signing up; if you do want to sign up you can use my referral code for 30% off (I will receive one free month of Marquee if you do use my code:
Referral Code: https://refer.marquee.tv/WIoTZZ6Wuf )
Have you seen this ballet performed?
Cheers,
The Historian
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