Review: BLACK SABBATH - THE BALLET, Birmingham Hippodrome
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Carlos Acosta has certainly breathed new life into Birmingham Royal Ballet since he joined them as Director. This latest production sees heavy metal and classical ballet team together to show off the versatility of Birmingham’s talent, both old and new.
The musical legacy of Black Sabbath, with its origins firmly in the Midlands, sees their original recordings alongside newly orchestrated compositions performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia in three acts; each act choreographed and composed by six separate artists.
Act One (choreographed by Raul Reinoso and composed by Marko Nyberg) sees the piece begin with War Pigs as the dancers collectively appeal to the songs anti-war message. Yaoqian Shang and Javier Rojas are locked in an eternal kiss accompanied by Solitude; their movements so precise that their closeness is mesmerising to watch.
Act Two (choreographed by Cassi Abranches and composed by Sun Keting) combines the music with voiceovers of the band, describing how they got together and their life on tour. Here, the dancers represent youth, then and now, with a beautiful solo piece danced by Regan Hutsell. The final act (choreographed by Pontus Lidberg and composed by Christopher Austin) sees the musical pieces combined together, interacting with one another and throwing out the stereotypes of the heavy metal genre with the breathtaking imagery of the whole company, clad in various incarnations of Black Sabbath t-shirts, as they move as one, then break off in to their individual groupings.
Lighting design by K.J. creates the perfect ambience of a rock concert with the elements of classical performance and intrigue, and whilst the costume design is simple, it works in tandem with the simplicity of the focus of the movement well.
The design is by Alexandre Arrechea, inclusive of the iconic demon figure, which has such a magnificent presence that you half expect it to move across the stage and join in. With all these elements combined, it is clear from the audience reaction that the production was a success.
From a standing ovation to whoops of joy throughout, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Black Sabbath make a great combination.
An iconic and fresh piece of dance.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin
Black Sabbath – The Ballet plays at the Birmingham Hippodrome until 30 September, before visiting Theatre Royal Plymouth and Sadler’s Wells. For more information, please click here.