Beauty and the Beast graces the stage in the latest production by the Northern Ballet. Dancer Martha Leebolt spoke to Chris Price.

There are few better stories to turn into ballet than the towering Gothic fairytale that is Beauty and the Beast.

“It is entertaining for both children and adults,” said Northern Ballet’s principal dancer Martha Leebolt.

“It is hard to find a show like that. This is not Disney at all. It is the original, darker version,” said Martha, who plays Beauty in the production, which recently featured in a Sky Arts documentary

“It still has a happy ending but it is quite abstract, with huge colours, huge sets, big music and an overall huge feeling about it. There are funny parts and emotional parts, as well.”

One look at the elaborate costumes is enough to confirm Martha’s “huge” feelings about the show, which is accompanied by a score from Saint-Säens, Bizet, Debussy and Glazunov.

“There is so much story to it and ballet stories with love in them are always a real treat for the audience,” said Martha. “It works well for ballet because it moves into different worlds, first in the house of Beauty, then the castle and then, in the third act, to the Beast and Beauty cementing their love with a big party at the end.”

A native of San Diego, Martha joined the Northern Ballet in 2001 and has made several visits over the years to the tour’s next stop, Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre, most recently in the Nutcracker last year. She also has fond memories of the old theatre.

“Now it is much harsher and new but back then it was almost like old dormitories and you could hear all the doors slamming and people yelling. Everybody would be stretching out in the corridor and talking. The stage is exactly the same, though, so that makes me feel more comfortable. It is a nice theatre that is homely and personal.”

After finishing high school in California, Martha went to Ohio for a year, training with the Ballet Met Columbus school run by Yoko Ichino, the wife of Northern Ballet director David Nixon. When David got the job at Northern Ballet in 2001, he took a couple of his wife’s students with him, including Martha.

Yet her road to being premier dancer at the company has not been plain sailing. She suffered an injury to her ankle soon after arriving in the UK, which kept her out for nine months.

“It is a tough journey,” said Martha. “That was difficult because I was young and away from home but I had a great support system of friends and the company looked after me until I was better.

“Ballet is so difficult and intricate and specialised that every day you have to work. You have to take class and rehearse every day. It is something which takes a lot of self-belief and dedication. You have to work so hard to get to principal level. It is a difficult road but it is worth it.”

Beauty and the Beast by the Northern Ballet runs at Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre from Tuesday, November 6 to Saturday, November 10. Tickets £16.50 to £38.50. Box office 01227 787787.

To read a review of Beauty and the Beast, click here.