Northern Ballet’s Merlin at Theatre Royal Nottingham Review
Written by Hollie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Caution: This production contains short periods of flashing, strobe lighting effects and haze.
A mesmerisingly magical storytelling wonder!
Northern Ballet brings this wonderful original story to the stage this Autumn with its mesmerising scenery, clever choreography and inspirational skilled dancers.
Alongside Director and Choreographer Drew McOnie, the dancing ensemble are collaborative artists in this production who support the creative team to provide this enjoyable and emotive show which would appeal to ballet lovers new and old as well as young families.
With Ballet classics such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker they can feel incredibly traditional but also out of reach at points for audience members. In this adaptation of Merlin it feels modern and energetic from the outset.
The company tells the story of an extraordinary boy who appears in a bright glowing orb when a young blacksmith happens to find him and takes him home to her forge. As Merlin grows and his story is told he grows up with humble beginnings and as a child even has to sleep in a drawer.
Harris Beattie plays the protagonist Merlin and he absolutely excels in his role with his shining personality as well as his ability to share vulnerable moments with the audience. His partnership and relationship on stage with Heather Lehan as the Blacksmith was perfect and I look forward to seeing what they both do in the future.
Part fairy tale and part fantasy this new show has to have a baddie of course! King Vortigern and his utter disdain for Merlin provides the audience with someone to hate and Miguel Teixeria plays his part with authenticity and grandeur. He was able to provide dramatic eye movements as well as imposing body language and he performed his role well.
Imaginative and dynamic scenery as well as excellent props allow audience members to become captivated and interested in the story being told. Scenes and events are not left to the imagination as a combination of metal work, puppetry and lighting fills the stage.
Choreography throughout the show feels fresh and modern and the movement of the costumes along with the styles of dance added to the effect. I particularly enjoyed the choreography surrounding the Golden gates scene. The sparkling and bejewelled costumes were stunningly created and added to the magic.
After fleeing into the forest, Merlin meets his mother the Lady of the Lake who in this performance was played by Gemma Coutts. The choreography and costumes that were imagined for her as well as her Kingdom’s people was utterly spectacular. Gemma was able to remain elegant as well as powerful and feisty at different points in the production.
The live orchestra under the direction of conductor Daniel Parkinson evoke different moods and tones throughout the show as romantic moments as well as intense dramatic scenes are partnered with beautiful ballet choreography.
The use of lighting by head of lighting Alastair West and his team added magic and unexpected sparkle to the storytelling and made it fun and engaging for the range of people in the audience. Subtle layers of humour are interwoven through the exploration of themes including good versus evil, and friends and foes.
With society’s love of fantasy and wizards and witches not waning any time soon, this production is timely but also has clearly taken inspiration from popular culture such as Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and The Little Mermaid.
This is the most relatable and easy-to-watch ballet that I have seen in a number of years. If you have not been to the ballet before then I urge you to try this production out first!
This production of Northern Ballet’s Merlin continues at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal until Saturday 18th October 2025 before it continues its UK tour arriving at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre before it concludes its run at Norwich’s Theatre Royal on Saturday 15th November 2025.
★★★★★
