A new fairytale ballet production by balletLORENT featuring professional dancers and a young community cast, narrated by Gina McKee.
balletLORENT bring Hansel & Gretel and the Witch to Northern Stage on Thursday 29 October, the world premiere of their new take on the fairytale. It's the fourth in a series of fairytales for the company, following Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin and Snow White. This one's aimed at audiences aged five and over, and it doesn't stick to the story you know: it retells the tale with a brand-new ending and a stage full of imaginative imagery, including a sugar glass house in the woods, an 'all you can eat' merry-go-round, a regenerating witch and giant chickens.
Nine professional dancers share the stage with the company's 7-12 Youth Academy, so there's a mix of ages performing together. The production is narrated throughout by Newcastle-born actor Gina McKee, and the knitted and crocheted props and costumes were made by the company's over-60s group, Movers and Shakers. The words are by Carol Ann Duffy, the music by Murray Gold, and the whole thing is directed and choreographed by artistic director Liv Lorent, who's been making the company's work in the North East for 30 years. She describes the show as a celebration of resilience, imagination and collective care. Actor and comedian Ben Crompton is the dramaturg, and the set is by Mayou Trikerioti, with lighting by Malcolm Rippeth and costumes by Nazir Mazhar.
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After the Newcastle premiere, the production will tour nationally. Tickets start from £12.00, and there are five performances in total: Thursday 29 October at 6:00pm; Friday 30 October at 1:30pm and 7:00pm; Saturday 31 October at 1:30pm; and Sunday 1 November at 1:30pm. All are at Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RH.
