'Combination of global superstar rock band and classical dance' – Our review of Black Sabbath - the Ballet at Birmingham Hippodrome

The combination of the music of a global superstar rock band and classical dance may not be an obvious one, but it is certainly inspired.

The decision to marry two such extreme art forms together was that of the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s director, the incomparable Carlos Acosta, and is his second commission which explores the heritage and communities within the city.

Already a sell-out, it is interesting to note that over 60% of the tickets sold for performances at the Birmingham Hippodrome were to audience members who have never seen a ballet before, but are clearly massive fans of the band. Hopefully this will spark an interest in dance and entice them to expand their cultural experiences.

There was a buzz of excitement and anticipation as the audience members gathered, which rose to fever pitch within the auditorium prior to the show beginning. I could not wait for the first interval to hear comments of the ballet virgins experiencing this incredible dance form for the first time. I was not disappointed; they loved it. The respect between those who were there to see the dance and those who simply wanted to hear the music was overwhelming.

Act One, entitled Heavy Metal Ballet, featured classic songs including War Pigs, Solitude, Iron Man and the finale of the act, Paranoid is a moment in theatre I will never forget. The speed and agility of the dancers was both mesmerising and astounding.

This act also featured a breath-taking duet from Yaoquian Shang and Javier Rojas, where for at least five minutes their lips never left each other, all while executing the most complicated dance movements and moving as one. Add to that a jaw-dropping male pointe solo from Tzu-Chao Chou and incredible guitar solos from Marc Hayward, and after the first thirty minutes the audience were already astounded.

Act Two, entitled simply The Band concentrated on the individual group members, with original voice overs regaling tale of how the band formed and their experiences thereafter and included excerpts from Black Sabbath, Orchid, Planet Caravan, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

Principal dancers Celine Gittens and Tyrone Singleton gave outstanding performances in another graceful and highly complex duet, while there was an interesting piece of choreography performed by first soloist Kit Holder, during which you could hear a pin drop.

Act Three, Everybody is a Fan, had a much more relaxed feel, as the whole company expressed their admiration for the band through dance, with an open stage and feeling of freedom.

The outstanding, never before seen choreography of this ground-breaking piece is courtesy of Swedish choreographer Pontus Lindburg, assisted by Raul Reinoso and

Cassi Abranches, whose creativity and distinctive ideas perfectly display the talents and push the boundaries of this world-class dance company.

The look and feel of the ballet are dark and brooding, thanks to KJ’s lighting design, which captures the unique mood of the piece so perfectly that you can feel and imagine the atmosphere of a rock arena, and the vastness of the crowd.

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia, under the supervision of Christopher Austin and led by Robert Gibbs, performed each of Black Sabbath’s distinctive pieces with ease and just the perfect amount of light and shade. If you were expecting a loud concert version of the band’s music, you would be disappointed. The music is incredibly well adapted for dance, but without losing the distinctive sound and in fact in this format, it displays just how melodic and harmonious their compositions are.

The anticipation grew towards the end of the ballet, as earlier in the run audiences had been treated to an appearance by Black Sabbath legendary guitarist and co-founder Tony Iommi, and sure enough, he entered, guitar in hand of course, from the middle of the back of stage to a standing ovation and cheers from music and ballet fans alike.

The perfect end to perhaps the most unique and incredible pieces of modern ballet ever seen.

There may, just may, be a tiny number of tickets left for the Birmingham City Centre venue, but otherwise, head to the Theatre Royal, Plymouth or Sadlers Wells in London before the end of October and you just might be lucky to get a seat. Trust me, the journey will be worth it!

For more information on the Birmingham Royal Ballet, visit brb.org.uk and to check on tickets for the Birmingham Hippodrome visit birminghamhippodrome.com

Runs until September 30.