La Fille mal gardée (The Wayward Daughter) is one of Sir Frederick Ashton’s most joyful and colourful ballets. Inspired by his love for the Suffolk countryside, it incorporates elements of national folk dances such as maypole dancing and Lancashire clog dancing. And, despite its French title and history - the original version premiered in Bordeaux in 1789 - Sir Frederick’s creation is a quintessentially English work.

Premiering in 1960 and featuring some of his most brilliant and romantic choreography, this vibrant and gleeful story of 18th-century pastoral love continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s latest production of the much-loved classic unfolds against a countryside backdrop, features pastel-coloured costumes and boasts live music from the ever-magnificent Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

The story focuses on Lise, a mischievous country girl who manages to thwart the plans of her mother, the widow Simone, to marry her off to the rather dim son of a prosperous vineyard owner. Lise is in love with a farmer named Colas, and although Simone does her best to keep the young couple apart, she eventually gives her blessing to their union.

La Fille mal gardée is a charming yet simple romantic comedy, full of great humour, which draws on British pantomime tradition by casting a man to play the Widow Simone. Last night she was played by Rory Mackay, whose clog dance - performed alongside four of Lise’s friends - was a real show-stealing moment. Mackay’s brilliant sense of comic timing, hilarious facial expressions and splendidly slick slapstick skills were truly something to behold.

The choreography of this ballet, whilst aesthetically very pleasing, is notoriously demanding. The dance with ribbons in act two is especially difficult for the corps de ballet, who last night executed its complicated movements with impressive precision.

Beatrice Parma as Lise was exceptional. Her remarkable balance and faultless coordination when performing the role of a human maypole, as she remained on one pointe whilst being spun around by eight ballerinas using ribbons, was simply breathtaking.

The youthful passion of Lise and the laddish charm of Colas (Enrique Bejarano Vidal) were beautifully conveyed through a combination of superb dancing, phenomenal lifts, great acting and wonderful characterisation. The young lovers danced elegantly together as their courtship blossomed. The chemistry between them was palpable.

This is a delightful ballet with an idealistic story about how true love - beautifully expressed through the medium of exquisite dance - eventually triumphs. Although a technically challenging work, it is fundamentally a fun-filled pantomime-style offering bursting with both humour and grace. There’s even a dancing cockerel and hens, and a chubby little Welsh mountain pony to pull the trap on stage. Definitely an entertaining, elegant and extremely enjoyable night at the ballet not to be missed.

Five stars

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s La Fille mal gardee was reviewed by Sue Hull on Wednesday 25 September at Birmingham Hippodrome, where it shows until this forthcoming Saturday (28 September)