Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo formed in the early 1970s, in part as a response to the Stonewall Uprising as a gay-centric counterculture group. They continued to perform throughout the AIDS pandemic despite losing members to the horrendous condition, raising money for those affected. More than 50 years later, the Trocks (as they’re commonly known) are now a beloved part of the global theatre scene, enjoyed not just by members of the LGBTQ+ community but people from all walks of life.
This tour shows off some of the finest parts of their ballet repertoire, and the comedy chops of their company. At heart, The Trocks are a drag show: each dancer has a ballet drag queen and king persona (with a backstory) which they use while performing, depending on if the character they’re playing is male or female. AJ David, for example, plays ballerina Vera Vidludik – who got given the key to the city of Chișinău, shortly before they changed the locks – and the ballet dancer Nichoas Khachafallenjar, who astounds the public (and police) with his remarkable displays of strength.
Not that this is a requirement for enjoying the show, but it’s a real joy to go on the website and read some of the bios. All of this work results in a repertoire that blends 1930s slapstick with modern drag and classical ballet, and the result is something people of all ages, and ballet familiarity, can enjoy.
The whole cast of dancers are fantastic. The movement style asks for a difficult blend – just messy enough to be accessible, just clean enough to be impressive – and all assembled deliver that beautifully. The show is not laugh-a-minute, in that much of the comedy is more blink-and-you’ll-miss-it: a fawn slapping a woman’s bum in the middle of a group dance, or someone tripping during a group number.
However, the fact that not all the jokes land is generally fine, because the dancing is beautiful. Peter Gwiazda, as Maya Thickenthighya, is a particular standout for his use of slapstick and comedic timing, and Robert Carter’s performance of White Swan is as campy and joyous as it is technically excellent. No one part of the group would work without the others, and the Trocks really work best when working as a chaotic and well-oiled ensemble.
They’re definitely an accessible entry point to the artform, too, for people who have never been and worry that they wouldn’t understand it. I overheard a number of people in the audience saying this was their first time at the ballet, and they seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Likewise, the friend I brought along had never been to a ballet before, and – while I didn’t clue him in and he thought Swan Lake was about a man falling in love with a swan (as did I first time round, I should add) – he didn’t mind not understanding the full narrative of some segments of the show, because he was just having a great time watching it. The people sat next to us brought their junior-school-age daughter, and she seemed to have an amazing time as well.
The Trocks are a showcase of the weird and wonderful; I highly recommend giving them a go.
Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Wed 13 May
words HARI BERROW
