Leading French choreographer Angelin Preljocaj isn't exactly Walt Disney and his version of Snow White is nothing like the famous 1937 animated film. Instead, Preljocaj's contemporary ballet takes the side of the fabulously wicked stepmother, who becomes the central figure and pushes the ingenue Snow White to the background.
Performed to a score of Mahler's symphonies, the ballet follows the original Brothers Grimm story quite closely, with all its creepiness and magic. This isn't a production recommended for children, and let's face it: most adults relate more to the stepmother, who is quickly cast aside when a new "fairest in the land" rocks up.
This wicked stepmother is definitely not the same character from the Disney film, thanks to fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who has created the sexy and dominatrix-inspired costumes for the production, which features plenty of eye-catching spectacle, including a group of dancing, abseiling dwarves.
Ballet Preljocaj's Snow White premiered in 2008 and has been touring fairly consistently ever since. It had its Australian debut at Brisbane Festival in 2016, but this year makes its Melbourne debut.