Abigail Prudames as Queen Victoria and Joseph Taylor as Prince Albert. Photo by Guy Farrow
On the anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth, Northern Ballet has today announced the world première of Cathy Marston‘s new ballet, Victoria, which will coincide with the 200th anniversary of the iconic British monarch and open at Leeds Grand Theatre on 9 March 2019, followed by a UK tour through to June 2019.
Victoria will be choreographed and directed by Marston (following her work on Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre), with set and costume design by Steffen Aarfing, lighting design by Alastair West, and dramaturgy by British director and writer Uzma Hameed. Victoria has a scenario wco-ritten by Marston and Hameed, and will be set to an original score by Philip Feeney.
Northern Ballet’s Abigail Prudames as Queen Victoria and Joseph Taylor as Prince Albert at Harewood House. Photo by Justin Slee
Victoria tells the astounding life story of Queen Victoria through the eyes of her youngest child and lifelong companion Beatrice. Travelling back in time from Victoria’s death bed, Beatrice relives her memories of her mother as a secluded widow before discovering her anew as she transcribes the Queen’s intimate diaries.
From the accession of the teenage princess Victoria, Beatrice uncovers her mother’s challenging relationship with her own mother; the truth about her passionate marriage to Prince Albert; and her ambiguous relationship with John Brown; as well as key events of her reign from the Opium Wars to the Great Exhibition.
Wife, mother, lover, Empress; Victoria presents the various, often conflicting faces of this emblematic monarch, and shows how an act of daughterly devotion became one of history’s most notorious revisions.
Abigail Prudames as Queen Victoria and Joseph Taylor as Prince Albert. Photo by Guy Farrow
David Nixon OBE, Artistic Director of Northern Ballet, said:
‘Queen Victoria is arguably one of the most iconic women of all time. The legacy of her extraordinary reign extends into the current day and we are privileged to be able to tell her story in dance. I am delighted that Cathy Marston accepted my invitation to create this new ballet for us. Cathy’s last creation for Northern Ballet was Jane Eyre which was incredibly well received and a fine addition to our repertoire. Cathy is an exciting and innovative choreographer and a wonderful collaborator so we look forward to welcoming her back to our studios once again to begin Victoria’s journey’.
Victoria will tour to Leeds, Sheffield, London, Leicester, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Cardiff and Belfast from March to June 2019.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
