If you have not read the novel, a modern Mexican classic, by the Mexican novelist Laura Esquivel, nor seen the 1992 Mexican film directed by Alfonso Arau, you will definitely need to read the synopsis before you watch Christopher Wheeldon’’s new three-act ballet.
The ballet opens with a coup de theatre: a row of brides dressed all in white, turn round, and are found to be dressed all in black, widows. The story, which follows, a mixture of reality, fantasy and magic realism, is complex to say the least.
The whole production in its music, choreography, sets and colour has a Mexican flavour and is always pleasing to the eye and arresting. The designer is Bob Crawley. The lighting is by Natasha Katz.
Joby Talbot, using Mexican instruments, provides a terrific score, which is conducted by Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra, who also acted as his musical consultant.
Like Water for Chocolate records a violent, passionate, erotic family saga. Covering three generations, starting in 1910, in which food, glorious magical food, plays a key role in their lives.
Tita loves Pedro but Tita’s mother will not allow her to marry. She is the youngest daughter and her duty, according to family tradition, is to look after her mother until her mother dies. Pedro marries Tita’s sister but assures Tita that he will always love her.
Wheeldon translates the gamut of emotions into movement and never into mime. Marcelino Sambé has the dynamism and sensuality the frustrated Pedro needs and his final duet with Francesca Hayward, danced to a haunting song, is beautiful, tender and intense.
The ordinary and supernatural walk hand in hand throughout. The final image has the couple’s passion for each other literally in flames. One of the most exciting scenes, the climax to Act Two, is the transformation of the cruel and overbearing matriarch into a monster size figure, towering over everybody.
The characters are sexually aroused, hence the novel’s title. The phrase, Like Water for Chocolate, in Spanish, means emoting on the verge of boiling over.
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