Ruth Leon recommends… Merlin – Northern Ballet
Ruth Leon recommendsMerlin – Northern Ballet
At this time of year we are drowning in productions of The Nutcracker from the sublime to the insane but there are other, often more interesting, ballets to explore internationally which are often ignored as we get tooth decay in the Land of Sweets. One such is Merlin, the spellbinding tale of the legendary sorcerer, in an original ballet by Olivier Award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie for Northern Ballet.
With Merlin, director/choreographer McOnie (best known for Broadway’s King Kong and Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom) has transformed the famous Arthurian legend into a spectacular new family-friendly ballet complete with a magnificent fire-breathing dragon.
Set to an enchanting original score written by Grant Olding, the story of Merlin comes to life with the help of engaging performances from Kevin Poeung as Merlin, Antoinette Brooks-Daw as Morgan, unrivaled storytelling, and that dragon, combining to create a dazzling production bursting with magic.
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