Jan McNulty Posted October 24, 2023 Share Posted October 24, 2023 Press Release: Tuesday 24 October 2023 Sadler’s Wells Launches New Productions for 2024 Sadler’s Wells today announces new shows for the first half of 2024, including the return of the Elixir and Breakin’ Convention festivals, and new work by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Crystal Pite. The season features contemporary, flamenco, hip hop, kathak, Latin, ballet and dance theatre productions, including three world premieres, seven UK premieres and six Sadler’s Wells co-productions. On the Sadler’s Wells stage, Dimitris Papaioannou returns with the UK premiere of INK, a hyper-visual dance theatre piece taking place in an enigmatic water world, featuring hundreds of litres of water, a golden field of wheat and an octopus. São Paulo Dance Company makes its UK debut in a mixed bill that fuses the elegance of classical ballet with the sensuality of Latin American dance. Innovative technology and revolutionary choreography bring to life two works by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Wayne McGregor, with Autobiography (v95 and v96) and UniVerse: A Dark Crystal Odyssey. Following the award-winning Betroffenheit and Revisor, Kidd Pivot returns with Assembly Hall, the newest creation by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young. Elixir festival challenges perceptions around dance and age with performances, films and talks in Sadler’s Wells Theatre and the Lilian Baylis Studio. This year’s programme includes a mixed bill featuring common ground[s] by Germaine Acogny and Malou Airaudo and Louise Lecavalier’s Blue. Hosted and curated by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jonzi D, Breakin’ Convention features hip hop’s freshest works from world-renowned artists. Aakash Odedra and Aditi Mangaldas, two of the finest Kathak contemporary dancers of their generations, give voice to an unspoken and overlooked love story in Mehek. Celebrated flamenco guitarist Paco Peña’s Solera returns. French choreographer Maguy Marin presents a piece of dance theatre inspired by the writings of Samuel Beckett in May B. A co-presentation with LIFT, Marlene Monteiro Freitas’s award-winning Bacchae: Prelude to a Purge creates a raucous and absurd carnival to the sounds of Brazilian funk, clown antics, pop, and Ravel’s Boléro. Sadler’s Wells Associate Company English National Ballet presents Johan Inger’s Carmen. Scottish Ballet’s award-winning production of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire returns to London for the first time since 2015. Northern Ballet brings one of its most beloved productions, Romeo and Juliet. Birmingham Royal Ballet returns with Sir Peter Wright’s acclaimed The Sleeping Beauty. The critically-acclaimed revival of Broadway musical A Chorus Line comes to Sadler's Wells in summer 2024 with Adam Cooper and Carly Mercedes Dyer reprising their roles as Zach and Cassie. The show is set in New York City in 1975, and unfolds on an empty stage where 17 performers face the gruelling final audition for a new Broadway musical. At the Peacock Theatre, Sadler’s Wells’ home in the West End, Ockham’s Razor presents Tess, a bold adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Following his sixth consecutive year on the hit BBC show, Strictly Come Dancing, Graziano Di Prima and his wife Giada Lini take to the stage in a new show, Believe - My Life On Stage. Following their critically-acclaimed debut tour, Strictly Come Dancing’s Nadiya and Kai are back with their new show, Behind the Magic. Gandini Juggling presents Smashed, taking a witty look at forbidden fruit and the fraying relationship between seven men and two women. In the Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells National Partner Company balletLORENT celebrates its 30th anniversary with new family show The Velveteen Rabbit, inspired by Margery Williams’ book of the same name. Ray Young’s award-winning duet OUT challenges homophobia and transphobia, while reclaiming dancehall and celebrating vogue culture. Tickets for newly announced events are on public sale from Friday 3 November at 10 am via www.sadlerswells.com. Booking opens to members on Wednesday 1 November. Ockham’s Razor produced by Turtle Key Arts (in association with Mime London) PEACOCK THEATRE Tess Wednesday 31 January – Saturday 3 February Tickets: £18 – £45 Ockham’s Razor’s Tess is a bold adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles. An ensemble of performers weave together Hardy’s words and the extreme physicality of circus to tell this tale of power, loss and endurance, focusing on the strong, heroic and powerful eponymous character. A regular feature of the London International Mime Festival (LIMF), Ockham’s Razor is a contemporary circus company who combine circus and visual theatre to make work that is arresting and entertaining. Contains sensitive scenes of a sexual nature and suggested rape Recommended age guidance 12+ BSL Interpreted Post Show Talk on Thursday 1 February Dance Consortium presents: SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE São Paulo Dance Company – Mixed Bill UK PREMIERE Friday 9 & Saturday 10 February Tickets: £15 - £45 São Paulo Dance Company makes its UK debut in a mixed bill that fuses the elegance of classical ballet with the sensuality of Latin American dance. Goyo Montero, resident choreographer with Carlos Acosta’s company Acosta Danza, explores the idea of collective identities in Anthem, an epic and emotionally-charged ensemble piece for 14 dancers. Gnawa, by Artistic Director of the Berlin State Ballet Nacho Duato, draws on the Mediterranean colours and flavours of Valencia, powered by the hypnotic, ritualistic music of North Africa. For the finale, Brazilian choreographer Cassi Abranches’ flirtatious Agora sculpts the movement of each dancer’s body with the percussive beats and bass grooves of Afro-Brazilian fusion. BSL Interpreted Post Show Talk on Friday 9 February Dimitris Papaioannou SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE INK UK PREMIERE Wednesday 28 February- Saturday 2 March Tickets: £15 - £65 Dimitris Papaioannou returns following sell-out runs of The Great Tamer and Transverse Orientation with the UK premiere of INK. Papaioannou's hyper-visual dance theatre is a succession of dream images at breakneck speed. INK takes place in an enigmatic water world in which a duet transforms into a duel under the influence of mythical primal forces. Papaioannou's visual spectacle features hundreds of litres of water, a golden field of wheat and an octopus. No animals were harmed in the creation of this performance. This performance contains full nudity and scenes of a disturbing nature. Co-produced by Sadler's Wells BSL Interpreted Post Show Talk on Friday 1 March Company Wayne McGregor SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Wayne McGregor’s Autobiography (v95 and v96) and UniVerse: A Dark Crystal Odyssey Tuesday 12 March – Saturday 16 March Tickets: £15 – £55 Innovative technology and revolutionary choreography bring to life two works by choreographer and director Wayne McGregor, performed by Company Wayne McGregor. In the most recent iteration of Wayne McGregor's Autobiography (v95 and v96), genetic code, AI and choreography merge in a work that re-imagines and remakes itself anew for every performance. AISOMA - a new AI tool developed with Google Arts and Culture utilising machine-learning trained on 100s of hours of McGregor’s choreographic archive - overwrites the configurations of its initial state to present fresh movement options to the performers. UniVerse: A Dark Crystal Odyssey is a moving and startling meditation on the climate crisis. Inspired by the Jim Henson cult classic The Dark Crystal about an ailing planet and a divided race, UniVerse depicts an earth torn apart by extremes and urgently in need of healing. The performance features haze effects and strobe lighting Wayne McGregor is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist and Company Wayne McGregor is Resident Company at Sadler's Wells The original production of Autobiography was co-produced by Sadler’s Wells Kidd Pivot (created by Crystal Pite & Jonathon Young) SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Assembly Hall UK PREMIERE Wednesday 20 - Saturday 23 March Tickets: £15 - £75 Following the award-winning Betroffenheit and Revisor, Kidd Pivot returns to Sadler’s Wells with their latest creation, Assembly Hall, created by Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young. A group of medieval re-enactors have come together for an Annual General Meeting in their local community hall. "Quest Fest" has fallen on hard times: membership is dwindling, debt is mounting, and the hall is falling apart. The Board of Directors must take action. As the meeting progresses, the line between real and re-enactment begins to blur, and it becomes apparent there is something more at stake here than a mock-medieval tournament. Crystal Pite is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist English National Ballet SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Johan Inger’s Carmen UK PREMIERE Wednesday 27 March - Saturday 6 April Tickets: £15 - £75 Award-winning Swedish choreographer Johan Inger combines contemporary and classical movement in a reimagined version of Carmen. Inger explores the passions and dark undercurrents of this classic tale of seduction and obsession. Menace and foreboding loom over the stage, thanks to additional music by Marc Alvarez which complements Bizet and Shchedrin’s classic score, performed live by English National Ballet Philharmonic. Johan Inger has created works for major companies around the world, including Nederlands Dans Theater and Spain’s National Dance Company, and he won the Prix Benois de la Danse for Carmen. Now English National Ballet brings this hotly-anticipated production to the UK for the first time. Recommended age guidance 12+ English National Ballet is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Company Audio described performance on Saturday 6 April at 2.30 pm with accompanying Touch Tour at 1 pm Paul Morrissey Ltd PEACOCK THEATRE Graziano di Prima’s Believe Saturday 30 March Tickets: £25 - £65 Following his sixth consecutive year on the hit BBC show, Strictly Come Dancing, Graziano Di Prima and his wife, Dancing with the Stars professional Giada Lini, take to the stage in a new show. Believe - My Life On Stage is an electrifying evening of Latin and ballroom dance as Graziano pays tribute to his Italian heritage and honours the unwavering support of his family. English National Ballet School PEACOCK THEATRE My First Ballet: Swan Lake Thursday 4 - Saturday 13 April Tickets: £15 - £37 English National Ballet’s My First Ballet series returns to the Peacock Theatre with My First Ballet: Swan Lake, a specially adapted version of the world’s most famous ballet for children aged three upwards. Featuring choreography by Antonio Castilla, English National Ballet’s Repetiteur, this version follows the familiar story from a different point of view. With a narrator to help follow the story, a shortened version of Tchaikovsky’s music, beautiful dancing and elegant costumes, this is the perfect introduction to the joy of live ballet. Since its creation in 2012, over 320,000 people have enjoyed English National Ballet’s My First Ballet series. Family friendly and Age Guidance 3+ balletLORENT LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO The Velveteen Rabbit Friday 5 & Saturday 6 April Tickets: £12 - £18 balletLORENT marks its 30th anniversary with a new dance theatre show retold for family audiences. Inspired by the book of the same name by Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit brings toys to life through the magic of storytelling, music and dance. In this heartwarming show, a stuffed rabbit and a grown-up boy both wonder about the reality of getting older, and question what it means to be loved. balletLORENT is a Sadler’s Wells National Partner Company Recommended Age Guidance 4 – to 10-year-olds Supported by the Mohn Westlake Foundation ELIXIR FESTIVAL Elixir Festival asks the question how do we express our changing bodies and minds as we grow and age? Elixir Festival challenges perceptions around dance and age with works by iconic artists from around the world alongside enlivening performances from dancers drawn from our local communities in north and east London. The festival spans two weeks including performances, films and talks in Sadler’s Wells Theatre and the Lilian Baylis Studio. Audiences can take part in workshops to experience new dance styles and learn from inspirational artists. Germaine Acogny & Malou Airaudo/ Louise Lecavalier SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Mixed Bill - common ground[s] / Blue UK PREMIERE Wednesday 10 April Tickets: £15 - £45 The festival begins with a mixed bill including performances by Germaine Acogny & Malou Airaudo, and Louise Lecavalier. common ground[s] is performed and inspired by the lives of two renowned dancers and, above all, women, mothers and grandmothers. Germaine Acogny, “the mother of contemporary African dance” and founder of École des Sables comes together with Malou Airaudo, who worked closely with Pina Bausch, performing leading roles in many of her early works. This duet has travelled the world in a double bill with the Pina Bausch Foundation, École des Sables and Sadler’s Wells Production of Bausch’s The Rite of Spring, and now performs in London for the first time after being cancelled due to the covid pandemic. Louise Lecavalier, former principal dancer of the Montreal-based company La La La Human Steps in the 1980s-90s, presents Blue – a solo adapted from selected sections of her work, So Blue. common ground[s] is a Pina Bausch Foundation, École des Sables and Sadler’s Wells Production Audio Described performance on Wednesday 10 April Christopher Matthews SADLER’S WELLS FOYER & THE KAHN Act 3 Wednesday 10 April – Mezzanine Wood Thursday 11 April – Kahn Tickets: Free admission Act 3 is the final instalment in a trilogy of works by choreographer, performer and visual artist Christopher Matthews. Continuing his studies of intimacy between two figures, Act 3 is an exploration of queer desire in later life, and considers queer masculinity in dance, desire, body image and working-class dance histories. Working with a cast of collaborators aged 60 and above - whose desire was forbidden in their youth - Act 3 considers what it means for these feelings to be hidden. Referencing Kenneth Macmillan’s Bedroom Pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet, the performance unfolds on a mattress, combining surreal visuals with an everyday setting to blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Act 3 is inspired by queer modernism and the work of photography collective PaJaMa. This collective created scenes of magical realism, featuring New York’s young bisexual or gay artists, dancers, and writers in the 1930s and 1940s. A Sadler’s Wells Co-commission Elixir Festival: Mohamed Toukabri LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO The Power (of) The Fragile Thursday 11 April Tickets: £15 In The Power (of) The Fragile Mohamed Toukabri invites Latifa, his mother, with him on stage. After being apart for several years, they find each other again in the theatre. Latifa always dreamt of being a dancer; Mohamed made it his profession. The Power (of) The Fragile reflects on what a mother and son relationship can look like, on what it means to be home and to go away. Elixir Festival: Susan Kempster & Charlotta Öfverholm LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO Double Bill: MOTHER & In A Cage Of Light WORLD PREMIERE Friday 12 April Tickets: £15 Susan Kempster and Charlotta Öfverholm explore the physicality of different bodies, and how we view our own bodies as we age in an intimate double bill. MOTHER MOTHER is an intergenerational duet that invites the audience to question intimacy and who we are to each other. Susan Kempster explores the intimate physical connection that two very different bodies can create on stage. In A Cage Of Light Charlotta Öfverholm looks at our relationship with our own bodies through the lens of a mature dancer, featuring live music, powerful movement and bold characters. MOTHER is a Sadler’s Wells Co-commission Company of Elders & ZooNation Youth Company LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO The Exchange WORLD PREMIERE Saturday 13 April Tickets: £15 The Exchange explores evolving perspectives, telling stories of our past, present and future selves through dance styles influenced by hip hop culture. Made up of older adults aged 60+ from the local community, Sadler’s Wells Company of Elders comes together with the groundbreaking storytellers of ZooNation Youth Company, made up of young dancers aged between 10 and 20 years. Directed by ZooNation Youth Company’s Artistic Director Chaldon Williams, this performance will be accompanied by a chance to join the dancers on stage in a post-performance jam. Supported by the Mohn Westlake Foundation Dance On Ensemble LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO Story, A Re-Imagining & Never ending (Story) Wednesday 17 April Tickets: £20 Berlin’s Dance On Ensemble brings together dancers over the age of 40 with internationally-renowned choreographers to create work that presents their diverse and rich lived experience on stage. Here they recreate an iconic work by Merce Cunningham with Story, a Re-Imagining and present Mathilde Monnier's Never ending (Story), a direct response to Cunningham's work. Originally choreographed in 1963, Merce Cunningham’s Story was never the same show twice. The dancers were able to make choices about their movements, while a new set was constructed for each performance using material found in or near the theatre. Dance On Ensemble draws from archival materials to re-imagine the piece for a new generation with Story, a Re-Imagining. As a further exploration of Cunningham’s Story, Dance On Ensemble asked poet David Antin to respond to the work with an improvised poem Never ending (Story). This poem is the starting point for a piece that explores how movement and thought come together. Co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union as part of DANCE ON, PASS ON, DREAM ON Aakash Odedra & Aditi Mangaldas SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Mehek Friday 12 & Saturday 13 April Tickets: £15 - £35 Aakash Odedra and Aditi Mangaldas, two of the finest Kathak contemporary dancers of their generations, give voice to an unspoken and overlooked love story in Mehek. Centred around a mature woman and a younger man, the dance delves deep into their intricate characters, challenging norms and redefining the essence of love. Mehek marks the return of Aakash Odedra following the critically-acclaimed Samsara in 2022 and is the first duet of Aditi Mangaldas’ illustrious 50-year career. The original score by Nicki Wells is sung and played by the composer and three musicians live on stage. A Sadler’s Wells Co-production BSL interpreted post-show talk on Friday 12 April Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Solera Wednesday 17 – Saturday 20 April Tickets: £15 - £55 In his latest show Solera, which premiered at Sadler’s Wells last year, world-renowned flamenco guitarist Paco Peña and long-term collaborator Jude Kelly bring together young flamenco artists and the expertise of more mature exponents of the artform. Flamenco is not a written tradition, but one handed down from one generation to the next. The best performances incorporate part of what has been created before by the great practitioners of the past as well as the vibrancy and innovation of the next generation of artists. Solera is an intimate exploration of artistic wisdom and the fearlessness of youth in the search for new expression. Birmingham Royal Ballet SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE The Sleeping Beauty Wednesday 24 – Saturday 27 April Tickets: £15 - £75 Birmingham Royal Ballet returns with Sir Peter Wright’s The Sleeping Beauty in the production’s 40th anniversary year. The acclaimed Royal Ballet and English National Ballet Principal, Alina Cojocaru will return to the London stage for select performances. Featuring BRB's sparkling virtuoso dancers, fairy-tale characters, dazzling spectacle, and Tchaikovsky's classical score played live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia. Audio described performance on Saturday 27 April with Touch Tour and meet and greet at 11.30 am Ray Young LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO OUT Thursday 25 & Friday 26 April Tickets: £17 OUT is an award-winning duet that challenges homophobia and transphobia, reclaims dancehall and celebrates social dance culture. Bravely embracing personal, political and cultural dissonance, OUT carves out a new kind of space from which to reimagine, reclaim and celebrate aspects of Caribbean culture from a queer perspective. Created by performance maker Ray Young, OUT won the 2017 South East Dance “A Space to Dance” Brighton Fringe Award and was nominated for the 2017 Total Theatre & The Place Award for Dance. Relaxed and audio described performance with accompanying Touch Tour on Friday 26 April Breakin’ Convention SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Breakin’ Convention 2024 WORLD & UK PREMIERES Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 May Tickets: £15 - £40 Hosted and curated by Jonzi D, the festival features hip hop’s freshest works from world-renowned artists – presenting multigenerational dance theatre icons. Performances on stage, in the Lilian Baylis Studio and in the foyers, live DJ’s, dance workshops, graffiti, emcees and spontaneous cyphers are taking place in every corner of Sadler’s Wells for the Bank Holiday weekend. After marking 50 years since the birth of hip hop, this year the form is bigger and bolder than ever, with Breaking GB competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics and Academy Breakin’ Convention opening the doors of the UK’s first accredited course in hip hop theatre. Jonzi D is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Scottish Ballet SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE A Streetcar Named Desire Thursday 16 – Sunday 19 May Tickets: £15 - £65 Scottish Ballet’s award-winning production of A Streetcar Named Desire returns to London for the first time since 2015, following their sold-out run of Coppelia at Sadler’s Wells in 2023. Hot on the heels of winning Outstanding Achievement In Dance at the UK Theatre Awards 2023 and Outstanding Company at the National Dance Awards 2023, Scottish Ballet breathes new life into Tennessee Williams’ classic tale. Directed by Nancy Meckler and choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, with set and costume designs by Nicola Turner, and score by Peter Salem performed live by members of the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. A Streetcar Named Desire is presented through special arrangement with the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee and is supported by Tour Partner Rathbones Investment Management. This production depicts suicide, addiction, and domestic and sexual violence. Recommended age guidance 15+ Maguy Marin SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE May B Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 May Tickets: £22 - £27 Inspired by the writings of Samuel Beckett, May B is an arresting piece of dance theatre by French choreographer Maguy Marin. Beckett unexpectedly offered his blessing to the then largely unknown French choreographer to adapt his work. May B is set to the romantic music of Franz Schubert and Gavin Bryars’ contemporary musical genius. Maguy Marin uses one single line from Beckett's play Endgame: “Finished, it’s finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished" to give a pulse to her choreography. Northern Ballet SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Romeo & Juliet Tuesday 28 May – Saturday 1 June Tickets: £15 - £75 Adapted by Christopher Gable and Massimo Moricone from Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Romeo & Juliet is one of Northern Ballet’s most beloved and critically-acclaimed productions. With glorious dancers, eye-catching sets and Prokofiev’s timeless music performed live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia, this is ballet at its most dramatic, romantic and intense. Audio Described Performance on Saturday 1 June at 2.30pm with accompanying Touch Tour at 12 pm Gandini Juggling PEACOCK THEATRE Smashed Friday 31 May & Saturday 1 June Tickets: £18 - £45 Smashed takes a witty look at forbidden fruit and the fraying relationship between seven men and two women. Traditional juggling meets contemporary circus in a series of nostalgic, cinematic scenes that explore conflict, tense relationships, lost love, and afternoon tea. Inspired by the work of the great choreographer, Pina Bausch, director Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala have borrowed elements of her distinct choreography and combined them with the intricate patterns and cascades of solo and ensemble juggling. Set against a soundtrack featuring popular songs ranging from Tammy Wynette to Music Hall and Bach. LIFT and Sadler’s Wells present SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE Marlene Monteiro Freitas’s Bacchae: Prelude to a Purge UK PREMIERE Tuesday 18 & Wednesday 19 June Tickets: £22 - £27 Cape Verde-born, Lisbon-based choreographer and performance artist Marlene Monteiro Freitas creates a raucous and absurd carnival to the sounds of Brazilian funk, clown antics, pop, and Ravel’s Boléro. In 2018, Marlene was awarded a Silver Lion by the Venice Biennale and in 2020, Bacchae was awarded the Prize for the Best International Performance by Les Prémis de la Critica d’Arts Escèniques of Barcelona. In 2022 she was awarded the Chanel Next Prize and the Evens Arts Prize. BSL interpreted post-show talk on Tuesday 18 June, with Kris Nelson artistic director of LIFT and Marlene Monteiro Freitas Senbla Ltd PEACOCK THEATRE Nadiya and Kai: Behind the Magic Sunday 23 June Tickets: £18 - £65 Following their previous critically-acclaimed debut tour, Strictly Come Dancing’s Nadiya and Kai are back with new show Behind the Magic. Nadiya and Kai invite audiences behind the lens to catch a rare insider’s glimpse into how all ‘the magic’ comes together. Alongside their talented cast they highlight the influence of some of the greatest legends, creatives, and artists of the 20th century. Sadler’s Wells & Jonathan Church SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE A Chorus Line Wednesday 31 July – Sunday 25 August Tickets: £15 - £110 The critically-acclaimed revival of Broadway musical A Chorus Line comes to London, with Adam Cooper and Carly Mercedes Dyer reprising their roles as Zach and Cassie. Created by Michael Bennett, A Chorus Line is set in New York City in 1975, and unfolds on an empty Broadway stage where 17 performers face the gruelling final audition for a new Broadway musical. Originally produced at Curve and Directed by Nikolai Foster, with a book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban, A Chorus Line features iconic songs including One, I Hope I Get It, Nothing and the hit ballad What I Did For Love. A Sadler’s Wells Co-production About Sadler’s Wells Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance organisation. We strive to make and share dance that inspires us all. Our acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. We commission, produce and present more dance than any other organisation in the world. Since 2005, we have helped to bring more than 200 new dance works to the stage, embracing both the popular and the unknown. Our acclaimed productions tour the world. Since 2005 we’ve produced 64 new full-length works and performed to audiences of more than two million, touring to 51 countries. Each year, over half a million people visit our three London theatres - Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio and Peacock Theatre. Millions more attend our touring productions nationally and internationally or explore our digital platforms, including Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage. Sadler’s Wells East In 2024 we’re opening a fourth London venue in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sadler’s Wells East will house a 550-seat mid-scale theatre, as well as facilities for the new Rose Choreographic School and the hip hop theatre training centre, Academy Breakin’ Convention. Sadler’s Wells East joins the rich cultural heritage of Stratford, opening in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of the East Bank development alongside the BBC, UAL’s London College of Fashion, UCL and the V&A. Sadler’s Wells East will support artist development and training, and the creation of new work. It will build the infrastructure for dance and make it accessible to more people. Sadler’s Wells East will house a flexible theatre presenting a wide variety of dance performances. Community will be at the heart of Sadler’s Wells East with a large open foyer that can be used by everyone as a meeting or performance space. There will also be dance studios and world-class dance facilities for dancemakers to train, create and rehearse productions. Supporting artists Supporting artists is at the heart of our work. We have associate artists and companies, which nurture some of the most exciting talent working in dance today. We host the National Youth Dance Company, which draws together some of the brightest young dancers from across the country. Sadler’s Wells Breakin' Convention runs professional development programmes to champion and develop the world’s best hip hop artists, as well as producing, programming and touring groundbreaking hip hop performances. Learning and community links Around 30,000 people take part in our learning and engagement programmes every year. We support schools local to our theatres in Islington and Stratford, designing experiences for children and young people to watch, explore and critically engage with the arts. We also run Company of Elders, a resident performance company of dancers aged over 60 who rehearse with renowned artists to make new work for public performances locally, nationally and internationally. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. www.sadlerswells.com Stay up to date with everything Sadler’s Wells on social media Facebook: @SadlersWells Twitter: @Sadlers_Wells Instagram: @sadlers_wells YouTube: Sadler’s Wells Theatre 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted October 24, 2023 Share Posted October 24, 2023 I sometimes think I need a name for the feeling of simultaneous relief and disappointment when an an announcement means there's nothing extra I want to come up to London for. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postie Posted October 24, 2023 Share Posted October 24, 2023 (edited) Quote Sadler’s Wells Associate Company English National Ballet presents Johan Inger’s Carmen. Scottish Ballet’s award-winning production of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire returns to London for the first time since 2015. Northern Ballet brings one of its most beloved productions, Romeo and Juliet. Birmingham Royal Ballet returns with Sir Peter Wright’s acclaimed The Sleeping Beauty. Enough time for me to think myself in, and out, and in and .. out, several times before 3rd November. Streetcar top of my pile. Edited October 24, 2023 by postie November 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabine0308 Posted October 24, 2023 Share Posted October 24, 2023 (edited) Excuse me but there is an embarrasing mistake in the press release: Nacho Duato was AD at the Berlin State Ballet from 2014-2018. It sounds better than where he is now (😁) but it's a huge mistake. Edited October 24, 2023 by Sabine0308 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 24, 2023 Share Posted October 24, 2023 Quote "Quest Fest" has fallen on hard times: membership is dwindling, debt is mounting, and the hall is falling apart. How very topical. I can't believe it's 8 years since Streetcar was last here! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Dancer Posted October 26, 2023 Share Posted October 26, 2023 On 24/10/2023 at 19:42, Lizbie1 said: I sometimes think I need a name for the feeling of simultaneous relief and disappointment when an an announcement means there's nothing extra I want to come up to London for. ENB's Carmen might be worth it but that's the only thing that really grabs me that I can't see elsewhere. I might see Mehek at the Lowry if I've nothing else on and I'm going to see Romeo and Juliet in Leeds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postie Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 Public booking open .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 I haven't seen BRB's Sleeping Beauty before. Does the Wright choreography differ a lot from the current Royal's production? I am also very tempted by seeing Alina Cojocaru in the role, I have her Royal Ballet performance on DVD and she's just so wonderful in the role. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 3, 2023 Author Share Posted November 3, 2023 Just now, JNC said: I haven't seen BRB's Sleeping Beauty before. Does the Wright choreography differ a lot from the current Royal's production? I am also very tempted by seeing Alina Cojocaru in the role, I have her Royal Ballet performance on DVD and she's just so wonderful in the role. I much prefer SPW's SB to any I have seen at the RB (or anywhere else come to that). It is very sumptuously costumed and decorated, mostly in shades of gold and autumn. SPW usually remains as faithful as he can to the known choreography. There's an information sheet on the BRB website: https://www.brb.org.uk/shows/the-sleeping-beauty#gallery_138862-25 It is most definitely worth seeing!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 I have just got my tickets for La Strada. I also want to see Streetcar, Solera, BRB SB, NB R&J and Adam Cooper in A Chorus Line....when the heck am I going to win the Lottery?? Getting sick of this waiting now! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postie Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 I looked at La Strada but have been stung too often recently by 'independent hires' (rather than being part of the regular SW season). I will probably regret it .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 44 minutes ago, Sim said: I have just got my tickets for La Strada. I also want to see Streetcar, Solera, BRB SB, NB R&J and Adam Cooper in A Chorus Line....when the heck am I going to win the Lottery?? Yes, wouldn't it be great to just get the tickets you want (and nice ones at that!) and have the only worry is that you don't clash with other dates, raher than clashing with the bank manager (or CC company!) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamicro Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 30 minutes ago, postie said: I looked at La Strada but have been stung too often recently by 'independent hires' (rather than being part of the regular SW season). I will probably regret it .. La Strada had originally the support of Arcimboldi Theatre in Milan (I have not clear in which form, honestly, anyway they put it on their future programs already in March 2022) and the ballet was rehearsed in Italy (in a fantastic venue used also by Akram Khan). I don't know abut your previous experiences, but I supect you would regret not going to this one, that looks like a serious and well contructed project (also considering the quality not only of Cojocaru, Kobborg and Zeni, but also of other cast members not quoted in the press release) 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, postie said: I looked at La Strada but have been stung too often recently by 'independent hires' (rather than being part of the regular SW season). I will probably regret it .. Interestingly the two matinees are priced lower than the evening performances. I wonder if this is to encourage audiences or reflects that casting for these performances may not include Ms Cojocaru herself…. (comment partly posted to two threads as relevant to both) Edited November 3, 2023 by PeterS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted November 4, 2023 Share Posted November 4, 2023 (edited) On 03/11/2023 at 14:04, JNC said: I haven't seen BRB's Sleeping Beauty before. Does the Wright choreography differ a lot from the current Royal's production? I am also very tempted by seeing Alina Cojocaru in the role, I have her Royal Ballet performance on DVD and she's just so wonderful in the role. You absolutely have to see BRB's production by Peter Wright at least once in your life, JNC.....everybody who has seen it with me loves it (even if they don't usually watch dance)....and those who like ballet go back again and again. I think it's one of the best productions in the world. There's a snippet of the Rose Adagio on BRB's Facebook and YouTube collections, and you may find clips of it on YouTube by Dutch National Ballet (Het Nationale Ballet) as they have the identical production, even down to set and costume designs by Philip Prowse, lighting etc. It is magnificent, glorious and regal. A must see! I recommend booking the first or second show so that if you like it you can go again and see another performance (provided it hasn't sold out of course). Edited November 4, 2023 by Emeralds 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted November 5, 2023 Share Posted November 5, 2023 On 03/11/2023 at 14:04, JNC said: I haven't seen BRB's Sleeping Beauty before. Does the Wright choreography differ a lot from the current Royal's production? I am also very tempted by seeing Alina Cojocaru in the role, I have her Royal Ballet performance on DVD and she's just so wonderful in the role. Yes it's a lovely production. Both BRB and Dutch National Ballet perform it, DNB has a bigger stage and company so SPW made an expanded (number of dancers wise) version for them. Same sets and costumes. Both shows are rather lovely. Add Alina Cojacaru in the mix = win/win so if you haven't seen it it's definitely "worth a punt"😀 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted November 5, 2023 Share Posted November 5, 2023 Thanks @Emeralds and @Don Q Fan. I don’t live in London anymore so I’ll have to see if it’s worth it with trains (strikes?) accommodation etc but it is tempting. And probably would be my pick over ROH’s swan lake at the moment… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted November 5, 2023 Share Posted November 5, 2023 2 hours ago, JNC said: Thanks @Emeralds and @Don Q Fan. I don’t live in London anymore so I’ll have to see if it’s worth it with trains (strikes?) accommodation etc but it is tempting. And probably would be my pick over ROH’s swan lake at the moment… I'm also outside London so I fully understand re: train strikes- I have lost so much money having to switch RB performances because of the strikes, so I now have to be careful not to book too many in advance. I'd say you're very likely to be able to see the ROH Swan Lake every 2 years or so (or yearly, as this year has turned out to be!) but the last time the Peter Wright Sleeping Beauty was in London was 10 years ago, the last time it was in Birmingham was 5 years ago, so Sleeping Beauty is definitely a bucket list must see event. Especially with Cojocaru, Hirata, Gittens and the rest of their incredible young principals and soloists (some of whom were still in school when SB was in London). I have booked one performance and I'm wondering if I can squeeze 1 or 2 more in- I'm limited by an important eadline and meetings during the week. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 @Emeralds that’s my thinking - I’m sure we can all pretty much guarantee swan lake back in 2026, if not certainly in 2027! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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