MADDADDAM

MADDADDAM description

About the Show

MADDADDAM is Wayne McGregor's three-act ballet based on Margaret Atwood's trilogy Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood and MaddAddam. In an imagined future not far from our own, a bio-engineered pandemic has wiped out most of humanity. A mixed group of survivors must cope with a dangerous present while piecing together the events, and the science, that led to the catastrophe.

The ballet is a co-production between The Royal Ballet and The National Ballet of Canada, which gave the world premiere in Toronto in 2022. Its UK premiere at the Royal Opera House in 2024 sold out, and this revival marks McGregor's 20 years as Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet. The running time is about 2 hours 40 minutes with two intervals, and the production is recommended for ages 16+ as it contains adult themes including depictions of violence and sexual violence.

Cast and Creatives

Wayne McGregor choreographs and directs, with Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale and two-time winner of the Booker Prize, as creative consultant. McGregor's works for The Royal Ballet include the Olivier Award-winning Chroma and Woolf Works. The original score is by Max Richter, set design by We Not I, costumes by Gareth Pugh, lighting by Lucy Carter, film design by Ravi Deepres and dramaturgy by Uzma Hameed.

Royal Ballet dancers listed for the run include Fumi Kaneko, Yasmine Naghdi, Melissa Hamilton, Mayara Magri, William Bracewell, Matthew Ball and Marcelino Sambé, with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House playing the score live.

Why You Should Watch It

MADDADDAM brings Atwood's vision of a world after collapse to the stage through dance, film and an original score by Richter. Book your tickets for its return to the Royal Opera House.

Playing at Royal Opera House (venue info)