Love vs affluence

Anthony Dowell made his debut in the role of Monsieur GM in Manon on Friday, and his reading of the role seemed to shift the ballet's focus. In recent Royal Ballet castings, GM has become almost a cartoon villain, albeit a vicious whoremonger and foot-fetishist whose lechery triggers Manon's decline.

Dowell was every bit the bad loser and old lecher on Friday night, lusting after Manon and cutting a deal with her brother, Lescaut. But Dowell also played GM as a man obsessed, and in revealing his obsession, Dowell illuminates her dilemma.

Sylvie Guillem appeared as Manon, and you could see her weighing the offer.

True love with the penniless Des Grieux? Or status and affluence with GM? True, he's powdered and pox-ridden and his arse is a baggy mess, but the diamonds are many and pretty. What's more, while Des Grieux loves her, GM reveals her sexual allure, and she quickly enjoys the attention it brings (not for her to blush unseen). With Guillem and Dowell, Manon and GM are a diabolical match.

Dowell created the role of Des Grieux way back in 1974, and he knows Kenneth MacMillan's blockbuster ballet inside out. Not that he could teach Laurent Hilaire a lot. The Paris Opera Ballet dancer stepped in for an injured Jonathan Cope, and with the strong Guillem/Dowell partnership, he wisely played things low key. His Des Grieux has nothing to offer Manon but his honour, and her rejection of it destroys them both. A restrained start also meant he could recalibrate later on, his growing presence accentuating her moral decline.

Watching these three mature artists interact was fascinating, although the supporting cast also deserve mention. The normally mild-mannered William Tuckett was unrecognisable as the vicious Goaler, while Marianela Nuez shone as Lescaut's mistress. She clearly fancied his socks off, and Brian Maloney's Lescaut fancied her right back. However, the Lescaut/Manon relationship was weak (they are meant to be the diabolical match), and Maloney's acting too broad with the Act II drunken scene unconvincingly played.

Also unconvincing was the partnering in the brothel scene when Manon is passed between the clients. Some of the transfers were near collapse, which, as well as infuriating Ms Guillem, also destroyed the grotesque slow-motion quality of the sequence. And while the pas de deux were as thrilling as ever, some of the crowd scenes were more Artful Dodger than Paris Regency.

In repertory until 6 March, then 5 May-2 June. Box office: 020 7304 4000.

The Royal Ballet: Manon