REVIEW: Les Ballets Trockadero do Monte Carlo at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Les Ballets Trockadero do Monte Carlo

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Wednesday 27 May 2026

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the Trocks, as they are affectionately known, are currently celebrating their 50th Anniversary with a UK tour, and what a tour it is. Their comedy is matched equally by their prowess as a ballet company. The Dance Consortium, who promote the tour, are fully aware of their popularity, and indeed the Trocks remain one of the highlights of the Newcastle Theatre Royal dance programme.

The Trocks, Dying Swan
 Photo: Roberto Ricci

Long before shows such as The Play That Goes Wrong, the Trocks were strutting their stuff and making audiences laugh. Indeed, before the dancing had even begun, the pre-show announcements had the auditorium rippling with laughter — especially when the audience realised that each dancer was to be given an outrageously funny stage name. Minnie van Driver, anyone?

When the show opened with an infamous Swan Lake Act II, it was immediately clear that we were in for a treat: both fantastic ballet technique and an abundance of visual humour. The knowing looks, discerning glances, and the occasional inappropriate hand gesture - all of these subtle acts of comedy smash through the fourth wall and hold the theatre audience in the palm of their (very well-trained) hands. And then, of course, there are the “accidental” slip-ups.

The Trocks, photo: Christopher Duggan, Jacobs Pillow

This is my third time seeing the Trocks, and I recognise that their comedy has a great deal in common with another production, their spiritual cousin, if you like, the Danny Adams pantomime. With Danny Adams, the pratfalls, the silly situations, and the “mistakes” are all planned within an inch of their life. They are not as spontaneous as you might believe, but because they are so meticulously rehearsed, they land with massive impact. The same is absolutely true of the Trocks. The slip-up, the high kick that nudges a fellow dancer off balance, the performer who finds themselves in entirely the wrong place at entirely the wrong moment - all of this happens every single night. You know it does. That’s the glorious conceit of theatre. But each night it happens, the audience erupts. The timing is impeccable, the comedy value is immense, and it makes for a truly entertaining evening.

That is not, however, to undermine the quality of the dancing on show. Technically, each member of this all-male company is an excellent dancer, their technique up there with the very best. The fact that males are performing as female dancers makes the various lifts and other manoeuvres all the more remarkable, they are, after all, throwing around considerably larger individuals. The Trocks are a hugely entertaining group, but they also demonstrate real ability in both dance and storytelling. Perhaps because of the exaggerated facial expressions required of their roles, they often do a better job of conveying narrative than a straight ballet production might.

The evening is split into three sections. It opens with Swan Lake Act II, followed by a short interval, then three shorter pieces. Some — Go for Barocco and The Dying Swan, in particular, are very, very funny. Others, including the UK premiere of Metal Garden, are played a little straighter. A second short interval leads into the grand finale: Valpurgeyeva Noch (Walpurgisnacht). How do you close a show like this? Simple: the company launched into a Riverdance-inspired sequence through rolling clouds of dry ice, a moment of pure joyful absurdity that had the whole audience laughing and, it has to be said, very nearly on their feet.

I have been lucky enough to see the Trocks in action several times now, and even knowing a good deal of what is coming, I still find it incredibly entertaining and well worth the repeat visit. The show has a massive reputation, and it is thoroughly deserved. The choreography is fluid, inventive, and very, very funny. Each dancer carries two personas: one male, one female, and one can only imagine the backstage chaos as they switch from one costume to another. They are well worth seeing, and even if ballet is not your thing but you love a good laugh, you will find enormous value in this show. I look forward enormously to seeing them again.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Tickets:

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/les-ballets-trockadero-2/

Video:

Fans of the Trocks may want to watch Ballerina Boys (Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo) - A film by Chana Gazit and Martie Barylick

Film link: https://www.sadlerswells.com/digital-stage/documentaries/ballerina-boys/