There are some pangs of an unaired Cbeebies special deemed too creepy for screening in Tetley’s work. The animated faces and uncanny makeup lend a sort of carnival-of-your-nightmares feel to the action. Osipova is especially adept at hamming up the oddness of it all, every look and gesture like a Punch & Judy puppet come to life. Junker, as the hapless Pierrot, brightens his eyes enough to be read to the back of the auditorium, his wonder and awe wider than the confines of the Linbury can hold. 

Junker especially comes to life as the foil of the effortlessly sexy Revé, corrupting Pierrot with visions of earthly desire and kink—there’s even ample room for a bit of homoeroticism. Though the newly-hired principal Revé makes an impression, as does Osipova, the show really belongs to Junker. Articulate and expressive, he’s a magnetic guide through the off-kilter world of “Pierrot Lunaire”. Certain to have a marmite effect, I found the work to be a fun dive into the archives of the Royal Ballet. Though Glen Tetley left us nearly two decades ago his work still leaves us delighted and befuddled in equal measure. “Thank you so much for the ticket darling,” one patron said to her friend while leaving, “but I found it all rather baffling.”