Mills’ ballet score
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie
is based on the eponymous fantasy by
May Gibbs. The story line is fairly
simple, but with many humorous and slightly
ironic touches. The little orphan Ragged
Blossom is kidnapped by three wicked
Banksia Men. Her friends Snugglepot
and Cuddlepie call the local gossip
(Mrs Kookaboora) to the rescue to spread
the terrible news. Old Mr Lizard and
a band of Gumnut Warriors offer their
aid and set off to rescue Ragged Blossom.
She is bound in Mrs Snake’s sinister
dungeon. The Banksia Men’s dance of
victory is interrupted by the arrival
of Mr Lizard, Snugglepot, Cuddlepie
and the Gumnut Warriors. After a short
and fierce battle in which Mrs Snake
is destroyed, a Banksia Man manages
to escape with Ragged Blossom in a boat.
Snugglepot determines to follow them.
The Fish Folk are ruled by Little Obelia.
Among them, John Dory and the beautiful
Ann Chovy, whom he seeks to marry, often
quarrel. Their last quarrel is cut short
by the intrusion of the Banksia Man
and his prisoner. Snugglepot quickly
arrives and befriends Ann Chovy who
promises to marry John Dory if he will
spare the Gumnuts’ lives. Little Obelia
consigns the Banksia Man to her cave.
After the wedding of Ann Chovy and John
Dory, everybody returns to the world
above the sea. The ballet ends in high
spirits celebrating the safe return
of Ragged Blossom and her friends. "And
remember, Humans, be kind to all creatures
and don’t pull flowers by their roots."
Mills’ colourful and
imaginative score is appropriately straightforward
and ‘written to be enjoyed" (the
composer’s words). The music is very
well made indeed, full of nicely judged
orchestral touches, and not without
a pinch of salt either as in the slightly
ironic War March of the Gumnuts
[track 10] maliciously winking at Eric
Coates, the jazzy inflections in the
Fish Dance [track 12] or in the
wedding scene [track 15]. There are
also some arresting and imaginative
sounds, e.g. when the music suggests
the kookaboora’s cry [track 8]. The
music generally comments on what happens
on stage and suggests various moods
and atmospheres. It is in turn gently
nostalgic (e.g. in the opening number
Once upon a time somewhat calling
Richard Rodney Bennett to mind), atmospheric
(e.g. in the evocation of the Fish Folk’s
underwater world), lightly ironic (e.g.
in the War march of the Gumnuts),
more animated and somewhat more dramatic
when required by the action (e.g. in
the Capture Dance [track 6]).
It is eclectic for sure, but always
tastefully done and free of vulgarity,
and – above all – superbly scored by
a master orchestrator with a deep ‘from
inside’ knowledge of the orchestra’s
way of working - Mills was trained as
a professional percussionist. This is
a lovely ballet score that should appeal
to anyone responding, say, to Prokofiev’s
ballet scores.
Hubert Culot
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Queensland Symphony Orchestra/Richard Mills