Tutu Review: Chicos Mambo's Ballet Parody Delivers Disco Swan Lake and Laughs
At Sadler's Wells East in London, the all-male French troupe Chicos Mambo presents Tutu, a cheeky tribute to ballet that mixes parody and pointework in a fast-paced comic celebration of dance's high art and sillier side. Directed by French choreographer Philippe Lafeuille, this show has been entertaining audiences for over a decade, proving to be a camp crowd-pleaser with its blend of humour and homage.
A Playful Send-Up of Dance Icons
As the curtain rises in east London, fans across town gather for the late dance theatre icon Pina Bausch's Sweet Mambo at Sadler's Wells. Meanwhile, on this stage, six men from Chicos Mambo send up Bausch's choreography and signature style, skewering its clichés with wit and flair. For those not versed in dance references, the performance might simply appear as a group of men in long flowing gowns and wigs, but it remains thoroughly entertaining.
A lot of Tutu focuses on raising mirth through silly dancing and costumes. The outfits are a highlight: puffy, flamingo-coloured tutu trousers that resemble a cross between a powder puff and a frilly toilet roll cover, and whimsical hats that look like vegetables, adding to the absurd charm.
From Swan Lake to Dirty Dancing
Much like the renowned all-male troupe the Trocks, Chicos Mambo draws material from a gently mocking but deep love of dance. In Tutu, Swan Lake's cygnets transform into daffy ducks in dumpy costumes, injecting a bit of disco into Tchaikovsky's classic score. The show also features snippets of Sleeping Beauty and earnest Euro-contemporary dance, soundtracked by the dancers' breath—a joke that turns out to be about bad breath.
A standout skit pays homage to Dirty Dancing, complete with Swayze's swivel hips, a ticklish armpit, and, yes, the iconic lift. These moments showcase the troupe's ability to blend nostalgia with comedy, creating laughs that resonate across generations.
Curious Surprises and Clever Contrasts
Tutu is a study in contrasts, offering curious surprises that keep the audience engaged. For example, Bach's Goldberg Variations is mixed with the haka, creating an unexpected fusion of classical and cultural elements. While the dancers extract laughs from men hobbling on pointe shoes, Vincenzo Veneruso delivers a rather beautiful solo on pointe, highlighting the skill beneath the silliness.
In one scene, the six men portray babies in nappies, tottering, nose-picking, and bum-shuffling to the fierce, slicing chords of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This juxtaposition raises questions—is it a nod to fertility rituals, or simply the most random pairing imaginable? Regardless, it's executed with amusing precision.
Is There More to the Joke?
The show is clever in parts and nonsensical in others, offering tightly choreographed larking about that leaves audiences pondering if there's deeper meaning. However, the laughter speaks volumes. A few rows ahead, a child of maybe seven or eight, likely unfamiliar with Pina Bausch, was in absolute hysterics from start to finish, proving the universal appeal of Chicos Mambo's antics.
Tutu runs at Sadler's Wells East, London, until 15 February, providing a lighthearted escape that celebrates dance's playful side while poking fun at its pretensions.
