THE COURSE of true love never runs smooth.

If it's not work, friends or in-laws spoiling an otherwise perfect match it's giant clockwork dolls.

Or it is in Coppelia anyway, being performed by the English National Ballet at The Mayflower Theatre from tonight.

The ballet, also known as The Girl with the Enamel Eyes, follows the chain of events sparked when Dr Coppelius, the crazy old toy maker, makes a beautiful, life size clockwork doll.

He is so proud of his creation that he displays her on his balcony, not realising the problems that this will cause.

Swanilda, a young village girl, notices the doll and believes that she is a real person.

Her fianc Franz notices the doll as well and blows kisses to it, making Swanilda understandably jealous.

Determined to find out more about this 'other woman', Swanilda breaks into the toy maker's workshop and discovers that her rival is just a giant doll.

But the toy maker comes back, prompting Swanilda to behave as any young woman would in such a situation - she disguises herself as the doll and tricks the toy maker into believing that his creation has come to life.

Happily, as with all good fairytales, love triumphs in the end.

With music by Delibes and choreography by Ronald Hynd, this captivating ballet is suitable for audiences of all ages.

Until Saturday. For tickets and more information call 023 8071 1811.