"Actor: Jonathan Cope"

• The Nutcracker | DVD | (23/02/1998) from £14.98   |  Saving you £3.01 (20.09%)   |  RRP £17.99

  If Christmas is an elusive, childhood state of mind, Peter Wright's 1985 Royal Ballet production of The Nutcracker, recorded at Covent Garden, is just the thing to recapture it. The delicately symmetrical choreography of Wright and Lev Ivanov ensures that the stage is constantly filled with the mesmerising enchantment demanded by Tchaikovsky's perennial favourite. The ballet's success will always lie, in part, in its familiarity and its intrinsic status as Christmas entertainment, but the best productions, like Wright's, give equal weight to the dark forces of Hoffmann's original tale, which must be overcome before good and innocence can prevail. Here, the sadness of Drosselmeyer is a potent thread in the ballet, resolved in a moving, well-judged moment as the curtain falls. There is real magic in the dancing, from Julie Rose's charming, constantly involved Clara to the irresistible images of the divertissements. But rightly, the laurels go to Lesley Collier as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Anthony Dowell as the Prince for a pas de deux that seems to hover above the stage without making contact. And, like Wright's production, the splendid sets of Julia Trevelyan Oman--combining traditional Victorian Christmas images, a delicate filigree flower garden and pre-Raphaelite angels--steer the right side of sentimentality. On the DVD: The Nutcracker has no extras on this DVD, although the booklet provides adequate production notes. The 4:3 format also provides adequate picture quality for a mid-1980s television production, although no amount of colour adjustment improves a slightly washed-out look. The sound, Linear PCM Stereo, makes the orchestra sound robust and solid at the occasional expense of subtlety. --Piers Ford

• Macmillan Ballet Classics | DVD | (27/10/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan created some of the most popular ballets of the late 20th century drawing inspiration from impassioned and complex relationships from music and from young dancers whose talent he nurtured. This boxed set includes Romeo and Juliet and Manon two of the most frequently performed works in The Royal Ballet''s repertory and Prince of the Pagodas in which the role of Princess Rose was created for the young Darcey Bussell. Romeo And Juliet Prokofiev Since its first performance by The Royal Ballet in 1965 Sir Kenneth MacMillan''s masterpiece Romeo and Juliet has been one of the greatest successes in the repertory winning world-wide acclaim. His powerful and sensual choreography thrillingly captures the passion and agony of Shakespeare''s tragedy alongside Prokofiev''s glorious score. Nicholas Georgiadis'' designs colourfully evoke Renaissance Italy and provide a magnificent setting for the unfolding drama from the splendour of the Capulet ball to the cold bleakness of the vault in the last tragic moments. This classic performance filmed at Covent Garden in 1984 stars Wayne Eagling and Alessandra Ferri as the lovers both of whom convey the intensity of young love. Prince Of The Pagodas Britten Sir Kenneth MacMillan's glorious ballet The Prince of the Pagodas provides a fascinating and magnificent spectacle of classical dance on the grandest scale. Nicholas Georgiadis' enchanting oriental designs complement Britten's only ballet score inspired by the sounds of the gamelan establishing a fairy tale ambience. This production by The Royal Ballet filmed at Covent Garden in 1990 stars Darcey Bussell in dazzling form as Princess Rose and Jonathan Cope as the Prince. This is the role that launched Darcey Bussell''s career. Accompanying The Prince of the Pagodas is Out Of Line a documentary portrait of Kenneth MacMillan with extracts from many of his ballets including The Burrow Romeo And Juliet Gloria Manon and The Prince Of The Pagodas. Manon Music of Massenet orch. Lucas Kenneth MacMillan''s tragic lyric ballet is a moving tale of corrupted innocence in early 18th Century Paris in which the lovely Manon finds both happiness and grief at the hands of men who love and abuse her. Manon is one of MacMillan''s best-loved ballets and this acclaimed 1982 performance from The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden stars Jennifer Penney as Manon and Anthony Dowell as Des Grieux with David Wall as Lescaut.

• The Prince Of The Pagodas | DVD | (27/06/2005) from £15.49   |  Saving you £2.50 (16.14%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Sir Kenneth MacMillan's glorious version of The Prince of The Pagodas provides a fascinating and magnificent spectacle of classical dance on the grandest scale. Benjamin Britain's exotic score inspired by the sounds of the gamelan is the only one that he created for ballet. The oriental theme is followed through with Nicholas Georgiadis' enchanting designs enhancing the fairytale atmosphere. This production by the Royal Ballet filmed at Covent Garden in 1990 stars Darcey Bussell in dazzling form as Princess Rose and Jonathan Cope as the Prince. This is the role that launched Bussell's career. MacMillan had noted her exceptional talent while she was still a student and he chose her to create the role of Princess Rose for him.

• Bring Me The Head Of Mavis Davis | DVD | (28/07/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Marty Starr (Mayall) founder and head of Purple Starr Records and the man responsible for transforming the timid but talented Mavis Davis (Horrocks) into successful singing superstar Marla Dorland. But times have changed and Marla's stardom is beginning to fade. To make matters worse Marty is behind on alimony payments to his ex-wife his house has been repossessed his prized Jaguar car has been blown up and his life is being threatened by Mob boss Rathbone (Aiello) whose talentless son Marty is being forced to promote. Listening to an old Elvis record Marty stumbles across a macabre idea as he recalls some of the countless former pop stars whose untimely deaths resulted in posthumous success. Believing that Marla's passing could make her a legend thereby reviving her career and his fortunes Marty begins plotting her tragic demise...

• Prime Suspect 4 - Inner Circles | DVD | (12/05/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Detective Superintendent Tennison investigates the mysterious death of a local country club manager and is led to a hidden political scandal...