"Merlin" by Northern Ballet.
"Merlin" is a blacksmith who has to hide his powers and on the eve of Merlin's 18th Birthday Morgan arrives. Morgan is a Senior General in the Solar Kingdom's Army, and Merlin has deep feelings for her. Merlin is to be drafted into the army but does not fit in. Merlin has flashbacks to his birth mother and father and this gets him angry which is where he is introduced to Excalibur. the anger builds and results in him slaying everyone around him. This is witnessed by Morgan.
Merlin then encounters the Lady Of the Lake as well as a fierce dragon, who he frees and befriends.
Back in Camelot celebrations are under way and Morgan is offered as a bride to Uther, the King's son, but Uther has his eye on Ygraine, the Princess of The Kingdom of the Tides, but this love is forbidden.
Morgan has followed Uther and witnesses the meeting and is not to happy about this and summons the Solar Warriors. Merlin flees with Ygraine after being saved by his new dragon friend and hides Ygraine at his home with the Blacksmith. Returning to the forest to seek out the dragon, Merlin is captured by the warriors and is thrown into jail.
Will Merlin get Morgan? Will Uther get his Ygraine? Is there an happy ending for both? What happens with Excalibur? Where does King Arthur fit in all of this?
The dancers are athletes, I've always said this of ballet dancers, they make everything seem so effortless, and you just have to admire the pure physicality of the dancer in conveying the story. It has taken years for them to reach the physical peak that we see on stage and you are left in absolute awe with their control, not just of limbs and body but the fact they never seem to show any accelerated breathing in the slight. As I said, these dancers are athletes of the stage.
The sets are incredible. From the initial scene of the giant golden ring that rotated slowly and slowly rose into the ether, to the amazing tree that Merlin lit up with Excalibur. From the palace scenes to the forest, the scenery was as magic as the whole story.
Talking of magic, we experience fiery globes that appear, rise into the air and vanish, a sword that looks as if it is burning that leaves Merlin's hand to float in the air, and several other wonderful illusions.
There is puppetry with vicious dog-like creatures complete with smoking nostrils, all expertly handled so that you are watching the Merlin's dragon or the dogs and not the puppeteer. There is so much to watch that your eyes are deliberately drawn to one part of the stage so that illusions can appear just out of eyeline, creating a truly magical experience.
The music lifts you up and sweeps you along the magical journey. from the very first note to the final chord, it does not seem that you are in the theatre for just under two hours. The whole mixture of the wonderful story, the beautiful music and the incredible performers just make the minutes disappear.
Directed and Choreographed by Drew McOnie. So many wonderful scenes but I especially loved the scenes with The Lady of the Lake. you really got the feeling of water with the fluidity of the choreography.
The gorgeous music is composed by Grant Olding, whose name may ring a bell as he trained as an actor at Central School of Speech and Drama. The orchestra, not sure if it is the Northern Ballet Sinfonia, was conducted by Daniel Parkinson and was recorded. The last time that Northern ballet were at the Theatre Royal, they made us aware of the financial issues of travelling with a large orchestra, so for this show the music was recorded. Sounded superb, but I do miss seeing and hearing a live orchestra playing.
The wonderfully magical set, as well as the costumes, were designed by Colin Richmond. Julie Anderson is the Assistant Costume Designer.
Lighting of this production also creates a special feel and is the work of Anna Watson.
I mentioned the illusions for this piece were literally quite magical and these were produced by a man who really knows his art as he is a member of the Magic Circle and was the Magic associate for Harry Potter & The Cursed Child, Mr Chris Fisher.
Rachael Canning was the lady behind the Design and Direction of the amazing puppets we see on stage.
And so to the incredible team of dancers who are also wonderful story-tellers and athletes.
Harris Beattie (Merlin), who has been dancing since he was ten years old, doesn't look as if that wasn't that long ago, but what an incredible dancer this young man is.
Sarah Chun (Morgan), Jackson Dwyer (Uther), Saeka Shirai (Ygraine), Miguel Teixeira (Vortigern), Heather Lehan (Blacksmith), Gemma Coutts (Lady Of The Lake), Bruno Serraclara (Helios), Archie Sherman (The Dragon), Helen Bogatch and Alessia Petrosino (The Princesses).
Albert Gonzalez Orts, Harry Skoupas, Antoni Canellas Artigues, George Liang, Noah Benzie-Drayton, Stefano Varalto (Male Warriors).
Sena Kitano, Julie Nunes, Nida Aydinoglu, Kaho Masumoto, Kirica Takahashi (Female Warriors).
With a company like Northern Ballet, you have to be the best of the best to perform with them, so I don't need to convince you or heap praise on this company for their excellent dancing, performing and characterisation. It goes without saying that you're in for a magical evening's entertainment.
This show should be on the NHS because by just watching it, your everyday stresses and worries just seem to melt away... or is that just me?
If you think that ballet is not for you, go on, take a risk because, like Shakespeare, it has a special language that you will love and become hooked on. All it takes is that one step into the unknown. Why not let Merlin bewitch you into taking that step.
"Merlin" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 18 October.