Review by Steve Bennett

A fat bloke in a tutu. How funny can that be?

Well, actually a lot more than you might expect, thanks to the impressive talents of Lestyn Edwards.

For his creation, Madame Galina Korsakova, is not some clumsy oaf mugging through the world of ballet, but a genuine three-dimensional character - who actually turns out to be a lot more graceful than you'd think.

In fact, his/her movements are so convincing that you almost forget this is an overweight man gallivanting around the stage, leaving you to concentrate on the comedy that isn't just physical.

For the finest humour here is in the banter, as Madame explains the ins and outs of ballet. For this she is usually joined by an assistant, played by Lizzie Roper, although the show Chortle attended was a solo affair.

And don't worry if you're no ballet buff. This is accessible to everyone.

The masterclass is most definitely a back-to-basics affair, enjoyably spoofing all aspects of the art from a layman's point of view. And you'll learn a thing or two about the subject along the way.

Sneeringly arrogant, Korsakova delights in dismissing the efforts of others, giving the mocking comments a real edge. And thus it appeals to those who hate ballet's snobbish image as much as it does to those with insider knowledge of the craft.

But although Edwards extracts a lot more comedy from his character than might be expected, the show does sometimes feel like it's repeating itself, raising doubts about how limited the scope for jokes on this topic might be.

However, it's certainly a daring and promising debut for a character who deftly avoids most the obvious gags.

Ironically, though, this 15-stone ballerina could still do with a little more fleshing out.

Review date: 1 Jan 2001
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett