In Alexei Ratmansky’s terrific new ballet, The Naked King, which premiered Thursday evening at New York City Ballet, the King’s thing is so tiny that it got lost behind the tiniest fig leaf. No wonder his glamorous, flow-posing queen sought amorous transactions elsewhere.
Ratmansky’s source for the company’s 500th new work was the well-known Hans Christian Andersen fairytale in which a self-absorbed king is swindled into thinking that he is wearing opulent threads when, in fact, he is buck naked. The music by Jean Françaix, who also was inspired by Andersen’s fairytale, is energetic and melodious with an underlying nervousness that meets Ratmansky’s own.
In the original story, there is no Queen. In Ratmansky’s adaptation, she not only exists — she pivots and pirouettes promiscuously as a main character who is skillful in the art of her deals. Hiding what we are sure are stoic squints behind huge sunglasses, she purses her lips and lifts her chin haughtily as if seducing her next Vanity Fair cover. Her charms, however, land in a groveling lover’s over-active lap. Just as good.
Miriam Miller and Emily Kikta as the Queen on Thursday and Friday, respectively, dealt this diva deliciously. Their 5’10” heavenly physiques were draped like a dream in Santo Loquasto’s plum and red jeweled gown, lace fingerless gloves, and a halo-crown headpiece that might have been half helmet. And sunglasses. Which never came off. Both women were fully absorbed in character while navigating Ratmansky’s inventions including forward and backward supported cantering. Big performances from both.
Pursuing the Queens were Peter Walker and Ryan Tomash as the hot to trot Lovers who burned through Ratmansky’s crackling electric choreography. Both were fabulous, but Walker’s theatrical and technical performance was a highlight of the ballet. It was a breakout performance for the usually stoic principal.
The Swindlers who duped the King wowed their ways through pas de trois and solo phrases while wearing some of Loquasto’s designs that would make Elton John jealous. Daniel Ulbricht in burnt red wig, electric blue jumpsuit and striped blazer delivered an amazing series of entrechat six with his knees bent under him. David Gabriel was in a leopard skin suit with a wild wig that made him look more like the Last Place finisher at the Westminster Dog Show. (Actually, we’d seen a similar wig on Elton during his all-pink period.) KJ Takahashi was in stripes and sunglasses. Gabriel and Takahashi were fabulous on their own but struggled to keep up with Ulbricht’s speed and clarity in the PdT phrases. On the second night, Cainan Weber, Sebastián Villarini-Velez, and apprentice Simeon Daniel Neeld performed as the trio.
At both performances the King’s entourage, Jules Mabie, Preston Chamblee, and Owen Flacke, hilariously served the King with their groveling. The King literally used his entourage as a floor mat and at one point enjoyed a spectacular arial cartwheel as the three slowly manipulated him across the stage. Outstanding dancing from all three who looked royally handsome in their elegant suits.
Our title character, The King, was portrayed by Andrew Veyette and Craig Salstein both of whom pulled off the outrageous personality and absurdity of the story while wearing a colossus of orangish curls reminiscent of Led Zepplin’s but clearly referencing a more contemporary King-like figure currently in all our lives. Yes, the King’s thing is tiny — nearly imperceptible. But we knew that already.
The HH Pump Bump Award, a hot red stiletto from Hardot, is bestowed upon Peter Walker for his cinematic-worthy portrayal of the Queen’s Lover.
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