Sylvie Guillem may be nearing 40 but the giddiness with which her Manon first tumbles onto the stage looks as fresh as any ingénue's. Over the past few years Guillem has developed an astonishing dramatic range and as MacMillan's capricious, pleasure-seeking heroine she puts her versatility to perfect use - making us believe every wayward vice and virtue that crowds her character's heart.
But the key to Guillem's Manon is her horror of being shackled. When she's falling in love with Des Grieux she and the wonderful Jonathan Cope are so perfectly attuned to each other that they appear to be plunging down a helpless, headlong descent into desire. Their truest moment together, though, comes after Manon has betrayed Des Grieux and he is weeping, clutching at her feet. In Guillem's hesitating stance we see exactly how her desire to regain her lover is battling with her deeper instinct to bolt for freedom.
Thiago Soares plays Lescaut not only as an amoral pimp but as an adoring brother who wants to protect Manon as well as sell her. His shock may be brief, but it's comically profound when his sister takes control of her own violation and instinctively, appallingly lifts up her skirt for her first buyer, Monsieur GM.
Anthony Dowell, as the latter, is reptilian and slightly camp, with, you suspect, a ghastly repertory of perversions. But as with William Tuckett's brutalised Gaoler there is also flicker of romance in his pursuit of Manon. GM wants her loyalty, the Gaoler wants to be kissed as well as sexually serviced and the ferocity with which they punish Manon's physical disobedience is a measure of the fantasy they entertained of owning her spirit. While Thursday's performance was a triumph for Guilliem it was also a company star turn. When the Royal are on this kind of form no company can dance a story ballet like them.
· In rep until March 1. Box office: 020-7304 4000.
