Ocean’s Kingdom, ex-Beatles Paul McCartney’s first ballet, is now showing, performed by the New York City Ballet no less. It’s an exciting new avenue of exploration for McCartney but few critics are pleased. The production is lackluster, confused, and stilted, but atypically the problems are not to be blamed on the score itself, but the many other things that go into a ballet. Stella McCartney, world renowned fashion designer and the maestro’s daughter, designed exceedingly typical and unimagined costumes, for example the bad guys in the show all wear bland and overbearingly dark colors. Sets are scarce, and add little additional information and feel to the storyline as many ballets require. The choreography is stunted, with many pointing fingers at Peter Martins for his lackluster show, acting is reserved to a few gestures by the cast, and dances are watered down. Luckily, McCartney himself isn’t under the axe, his score is referred to with positives like thoughtful, harmonious, atmospheric, but all too unmemorable. I have a feeling this won’t be his last foray into the genre, but for now, McCartney will be sure to cool his heels, and demand a little bit more out of his next production.
