Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands
The fabulous cast are on a par with any West End musical as they give everything, dancing and projecting character for all they are worth
Birmingham & Midlands
Thomas Hardy’s masterwork delivered with power and drama. Tess by Ockham’s Razor
A telling that captures beautifully the poetry of Hardy and the depth of the novel. It sweeps you away in its story and characters.
A festive space adventure: Motionhouse’s Starchitects Save Santa!
The show is colourful, hi-tempo and non-stop. It’s amazing what you can do with a few large boxes, some imagination and a dash of the ‘inner child.’
Birmingham Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker
Momoko Hirata and Mathias Digman lit up the stage in the grand pas de deux. ‘Polished’ does not do them justice. Hirata sparkled like a cut diamond
If ever a wiz there was: Ballet Theatre UK’s The Wizard of Oz
A joyful two hours. Light, entertaining and wonderfully optimistic. And sometimes, that’s precisely what’s needed
An evening of many moods and fine dance from Ailey 2
Pick of the evening was Robert Battle’s The Hunt. About the predatory side of human nature, it’s intense. Very intense.
A feast of outdoor dance: Derby Festé 2023
It was a very impressive two days programming. Noise, colour and community. Innovation and creativity.
Ballet rocks! Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Black Sabbath
I don’t recall a Birmingham ballet evening like it. An evening of surprises. A real celebration of the band and its music. And of dance.
Three generations of dances in a super Birmingham Royal Ballet mixed bill
A huge welcome back for Apollo, remarkably now only five years from the hundredth anniversary of its creation
People, secrets, life, the office: Si Rawlinson’s Saving Face
All four performers are outstanding. Fabulous dancers but great actors too. They draw you in. You become invested in them and their relationships.
GradPro National Showcase 2023
Who would be a judge? The dancers certainly gave the panel a difficult task. But when the results came in, it was the year of the men