Frederick Ashton as Carabosse in 'The Sleeping Beauty' 1955

[@simone222]

Evil Incarnate. Sir Ashton's mime craft is beyond brilliant in this! Thank you, Mr. Hall!

[@JohnRaymondHall]

exactly, well put. my pleasure Simone

[@ferencrupeck845]

One of the best portrayals I have ever seen. What you might call “superb hideousness”.

[@JohnRaymondHall]

and very scary! the stuff of nighmares

[@WelshHomo87]

He was an excellent dancer

[@cynthiafletcher9845]

He was terrifying!! Those expressive eyes were especially scary. Thanks for posting, C❤❤

[@JohnRaymondHall]

yes, the terror is in those eyes and bent and twisted long fingers - the stuff of nightmares!

[@ElizabethBathory0910]

I've always had the impresión of Mr. Ashton as a totally elegant man so his actuation here is GORGEOUS because he looks really evil like my childhood nightmares. ❤️

[@JohnRaymondHall]

yes, his Carabosse is definitely the stuff of (my childhood) nightmares!

[@pediatrapaola]

genius performance

[@JohnRaymondHall]

isn't it - monstrously scary!

[@So-z9gj]

Thanks a lot for this joy.

[@JohnRaymondHall]

pleasure :)

[@cmclean6475]

The recent Mariinski production is damn good too, might I suggest! And beautiful stagings, and Gergiev conducting!!

[@JohnRaymondHall]

true!

[@simaraft7373]

Fantastic. And the signs were a good idea for tv!

[@pediatrapaola]

genius perf

[@johnboy8576]

Can you upload the full ballet?

[@kernowoggie]

Those bulbous Bette Davis eyes definitely add extra wickedness and menace. A brilliant performance!

[@JohnRaymondHall]

Bette Davis eyes - exactly! :) well put

[@moniquelegarda1842]

Is there any footage of Ashton and Helpmann as the Ugly Sisters in Cinderella?

[@JohnRaymondHall]

yes, there is - this 1969 footage :) vimeo.com/279424809

[@billploplis6947]

I wonder what his inspiration was. I am so used to seeing much more elegant, even pretty, Carabosse's over the past 50 years.

[@virginiamariadubois3105]

Rappresentazione straordinaria!

[@pediatrapaola]

genio

[@karenkaren3189]

Wow. I am sorry I watched that....he was SO scary !

[@pediatrapaola]

genius performance

[@JohnRaymondHall]

absolutely - so compelling!

[@anarosareyes6269]

Wonder what material did they use for prosthetics back then?

[@JohnRaymondHall]

yes, i wonder too - i bet uncomfortable to have on and be difficult to be expressive through

[@tkoran]

Do you have the rest of the film? 😊

[@pediatrapaola]

before was on yt but don't know if is still on

[@eslmhs]

Carabosse in this version reminds me of Meg Mucklebones from that 80s Tom Cruise movie Legend because they are haglike villainesses who were played by weres. By weres, I mean “men” and “men” are the were in the word werewolf. Yes, Meg Mucklebones was played by Robert Picardo.

[@JohnRaymondHall]

i'll have to look out that Tom Cruise movie Legend - thanks!

[@eslmhs]

@@JohnRaymondHall You’re welcome.

[@susannevollmer2347]

The fairy changed into an old witch so ugly. A brother Grimm witch, realy.

[@JohnRaymondHall]

a witch of nightmares

[@muirhewitt5111]

@@JohnRaymondHallMany thanks for sharing this I believe it was originally filmed in full colour for broadcast on an American television channel possibly NBC but alas only this black and white version survived!

[@JohnRaymondHall]

@@muirhewitt5111 yes, i now remember hearing that - thanks for jogging my memory!