What a heavenly way to begin. Jack Sears’ queer dance-theatre odyssey opens with a chic lip syncing drag queen doing ‘Stormy Weather’, then a sublime cover of ‘Crystal Lullaby’ by The Carpenters. It’s a swooning musical number with dancers floating in 1960s pastel tulle nighties; so safe, so sweet and Sears’ incredible facial expressions draw big laughs for their wide eyed, girly innocence.
Fast forward to frenzied, angry, hollow chemsex dance scenes shortly after, and the descent from blissed out romance into soul searching despair couldn’t be starker. This raw, fetish update on the Paris ballet from the 1840s, about a peasant girl who has her heart broken, is a sad and seedy exploration of the dark flip side to being a romantic.
The choreography from the Royal Ballet’s Hannah Grennel is glorious – switching from elegant, sweeping shapes to thirsty, primal, club moves. This is more than just a fun, flawlessly danced queer cabaret about finding your real life rom-com hero, with help from Judy Garland, SOPHIE, Julia Roberts, Oprah and what sounds like a voiceover from Quentin Crisp. It’s an exploration of the grimmer, lonelier corners of the dating world and a reminder of the importance of everyday queer visibility.
Giselle: Remix, Pleasance Courtyard, until 24 Aug (not 18), 3.40pm