BY their very nature, triple bills tend to be rather like the proverbial curate's egg - good in parts.

The search for diversity and contrast can all too often become lost in a maze of variety. But not in this case, for each piece in this production by Birmingham Royal Ballet is a winner in its own right.

The Four Seasons, choreographed by former company dancer Oliver Hindle, defines the Vivaldi title via a sports theme. This gives the piece precision and poise, qualities that must abound if this ballet is to do justice to the music.

Nine Sinatra Songs then increases the heat generated by the first performance and rapidly raises the temperature to furnace levels. After all, how could this one possibly fail?

Seven couples tango, waltz and jive and presumably would have jitter-bugged the night away had the third selection not burst forth from the wings.

Last seen in Birmingham in 1998, Pineapple Poll tells the story of a girl who is in love with a dashing sea captain. Alas, Captain Belaye is secretly engaged to Blanche. A sort of maritime marriage lines, if you like.

When Belaye recalls his crew on board, Poll disguises herself as a sailor and climbs aboard and this soon wipes the yo-ho-ho of a smile off the face of the recalcitrant seadog.

All three pieces combine to form an evening of finely-honed dance, which oozes wit and is brimming with style and colour.

The production runs until tomorrow and is well worth investigating.