BalletLORENT Brings SNOW WHITE and SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE to Sadler's Wells East This April

On Wednesday 16 – Saturday 19 April award winning dance theatre company and Sadler's Wells National Partner Company balletLORENT will present a dance theatre production with two takes on the classic tale of Snow White at Sadler's Wells East as part of its UK tour.

Audiences will experience two distinctive interpretations of the classic tale: a family-friendly retelling of Snow White performed throughout the week from Wednesday 16 April and a darker adaptation for older audiences aged 16+, Snow White: The Sacrifice, for one night on Friday 19 April. Both productions have been reimagined by former Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and feature a community cast alongside ten professional dancers.

In the family friendly version, narrated by Lindsay Duncan, the classic tale of Snow White has been reimagined for all ages. Seven courageous miners graft for a world of opulence to be enjoyed by the Queen and her beautiful daughter, Snow White. The Queen's quest for eternal beauty leads her into darkness, driven by her need to be the most desired at any cost. 

In the darker version, Snow White: The Sacrifice, narrated by Sarah Parish, artistic director Liv Lorent explores female aging by delving into the psyche of a desperate Queen enslaved by her own harsh reflection. This is a tragic nightmare centred around the very topical dread of aging, which follows an antihero's battle against invisibility through enacting cruel, monstrous fantasies.

Directed by balletLORENT Artistic Director Liv Lorent and retold by former poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, ten performers and a local community cast tell the story, with costumes by Libby El-Alfy and Nasir Mazhar. with music by Murray Gold, set within Phil Eddolls' stage design and lit by Malcolm Rippeth.

balletLORENT works with performers who are diverse in age (22-61) and experience. Many of their works feature an intergenerational cast and have included children, older people and pregnant women, alongside the professional dancers.

As part of this ethos, balletLORENT will be collaborating with a Sadler's Wells Associate School in Tower Hamlets in East London to deliver creative dance workshops, from which ten children aged 7–9  will be selected to rehearse and perform alongside balletLORENT at Sadler's Wells East in both versions of Snow White, offering them a unique introduction to the arts and the chance to be part of a professional production.

Founded in 1993 and based in Newcastle, balletLORENT is North East England's leading dance theatre company. Under the leadership of Liv Lorent, who was awarded an MBE for services to dance in 2014, the female-led company continues to create work from a female perspective while ensuring accessibility to dance theatre for communities with limited access to the arts.

Sir Alistair Spalding CBE, Sadler's Wells Artistic Director and Co-Chief Executive, said, “We are excited to welcome balletLORENT to Sadler's Wells East, the company has been a Sadler's Wells National Partner Company over many years, and we look forward to presenting their fantastic work to families in East London this April.”

To post a comment, you must register and login.