Spectacular!
Birmingham Royal Ballet has done it again. Another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ performance with the world premiere of Luna showcased at Birmingham Hippodrome.
Luna marks the third part of Carlos Acosta Birmingham Trilogy and is focused on the women behind the men of the Lunar Society with inspiration from “Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dared to Dream” written by Louise Palfreyman.
The production is raw, emotional and absolutely stunning to watch!
Split into two acts of three scenes each, Act II: Scene 2: Overexposed is my personal favourite. My eyes were transfixed to every single movement. Somersaults flawlessly performed, intense body movements, the strength and prowess displayed by Beatrice Parma was simply astounding! A truly breathtaking performance. A real credit to BRB and a very deserved recent promotion from First Soloist to Principal.
If you’re after a traditional ballet, then this production is not the one for you. It’s daring, it’s captivating, and you watch each step wondering what is going to happen next. Contemporary ballet with plenty to keep people on the edge of their seats and a cast of pure talent. These are the ballet dancers of the future.
For the first time in any ballet that I have ever seen, there’s a Soprano (Marianna Hovhanisyan), Baritone (Themba Mvula), a choir (Ex Cathedra). Birmingham Royal Ballet recruited 30 young people aged 8 to 11 to perform, and they share their hopes for the future in the libretto of Kate Whitley’s score. “I am the sea, I have something to say, I say, I don’t want oil in my hair, let me breathe coloured coral, let me see my friend the sky” – Sabrina Mahfouz. The choir were superb and reminded me at times of the cast of Matilda the Musical. Filled with energy and confidence. Ready to share their message.
But the thing that really stands out in Luna is the dancing. Complex leaps, turns, and extensions with impeccable timing, bodies perfectly in sync with the music, creating a seamless harmony between sound and motion.
Each dancer embodied their role with such intensity that every gesture, whether a ‘simple’ lift of the arm or a grand pas de deux, was infused with meaning. It’s a really raw and emotional show that makes your eyes not want to leave the stage, not even for a millisecond.
You can see Luna at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday, 5 October 2024.
Timings: Act 1 40 minutes, Act 2 45 minutes, Interval 20 minutes.
Photographs by Katja Ogrin.