Lady MacMillan's Ballet Hoo! speech

Lady MacMillan, widow of Sir Kenneth MacMillan, the choreographer of Romeo and Juliet, joined the participants of Ballet Hoo! on stage last night following their performance of the work. She addressed the auditorium, laughing and joking with the crowd, and expressing her admiration for everyone involved. Here is what she said.

LADY MACMILLAN'S SPEECH

‘Two years ago when this project was put to me, there was a bit of tut-tutting, because ballet people tut-tut a bit, and a lot of people said to me ‘What on earth would Kenneth say?’ Well I know exactly what he would have said; ‘Go for it!’ He would have jumped at it, he would have been up here working with you and he would have been stealing all your break-dancing choreography!

(Applause)

‘The title, ‘Ballet Changed My Life’, well it has changed my life to a certain extent. But there are two things you need if you have any talent, or any ability. And ballet dancers need it, footballers need it, painters, writers, musicians… You need commitment, and you need discipline. What you guys have shown in the past eighteen months is that you have both. And you can do anything now, anything.

‘Tomorrow’s probably going to be a little bit of a downer. But you know the wonderful thing about live performance is that it’s finished, it’s gone, it’s a chance to do it again’

[At this point a lone voice calls out from among the young people on stage: ‘That’s not good!’]

‘No but it is! And do you know why? Because nobody can take tonight away from you!

(Applause)

‘It’s a stupendous achievement, it was an amazing thing to put together for everyone associated with it and as David quite rightly said there are far too many people to name them all, but I just want to thank three. Thank you first of all to David for saying yes to the project, and to Helen [Fownes-Davies], Helen for her additional costumes because they are fantastic. And of course Desmond and Marion!

(Applause)

‘And all of you! I’ve had the best night in a theatre for yonks!’

(Applause)

ENDS

Click here to read David Bintley's earlier speech