Woolf Works - Royal Ballet and Opera

Woolf Works - Royal Ballet and Opera description

Take one legendary twentieth century writer. Play with some of her best-loved works, turning them into a delicious ballet triptych. Then bring Royal Opera House's Resident Choreographer into the equation to create an extraordinary original score. Welcome to Woolf Works, a unique celebration of Virginia Woolf's genre-defying work, first staged in 2015 and created especially for the Royal Ballet. The show blends the author's dreamlike 'stream of consciousness' style with themes from some of her best-loved novels: Mrs Dalloway, Orlando, The Waves and more. No wonder it won an Olivier alongside a Critics' Circle National Dance Award.

I now, I then is inspired by Mrs Dalloway, a 1925 novel set over a single day that tells one story about a society hostess's preparations for a smart party and a parallel tale of a shell-shocked war veteran. While they don't meet, both are haunted by the past. Woolf's iconic 1928 character Orlando lives for three hundred years without growing old, changing gender while he's at it, and Becomings examines his huge, ever-changing universe. The third dance, Tuesday, is inspired by the 1931 novel The Waves, Woolf's most experimental novel taking six people from childhood to old age, always accompanied by the ever-changing sea. The cast varies depending on the performance date. Choreographer, director and designer Wayne McGregor leads composer Max Richter, architectural practices Ciguë and We Not I, lighting designer Lucy Carter, costume designer Moritz Junge, film designer Ravi Deepres, make-up designer Kabuki and dramaturg Uzma Hameed. The sound system designer is Chris Ekers. A gorgeous experience for everyone who loves ballet, adores Woolf's writing, or both.

Playing at Royal Opera House (venue info)

Performance Times for Woolf Works - Royal Ballet and Opera