One day, many years ago when I lived in Islington in London, I visited my local copy shop. While I was waiting I noticed on the counter some documents. Written across the top in big red letters was the word SECRET. So, of course, I had a look.
The document was information that the nearby Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet was moving to Birmingham in 1990 and would be thenceforth called the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Until then the company had been a bit of a poor relation to Covent Garden’s Royal Ballet but when they moved to England’s second city they blossomed and became second to none whether presenting classical or modern/contemporary works. I saw them several times at their home theatre, The Hippodrome and at various venues while they were on tour and never failed to be impressed. I hadn’t seen them for nearly ten years but I was sure that under the leadership of Carlos Acosta they would be even better. Tonight was my chance to find out.
Birmingham is a fairly tough city. No longer Peeky Blinders, but still tough. Therefore it should be no surprise that in 1968 it became, out of the factories and slaughter houses, the birthplace of head-banging Heavy Metal in the form of Black Sabbath. So, it is entirely fitting that the Birmingham Royal Ballet should pay tribute to the band with its eponymous new work which received its European premiere at the Nieuwe Luxor Theater in Rotterdam last night.
One was half expecting a Sabbath tribute-type band on stage but surprisingly, in the pit along with electric guitars, bass and drums were the strings, woodwind and brass of Sinfonia Rotterdam under the baton of Christopher Austin who was also responsible for most of the arrangements and composing additional music.
The Ballet was divided into three acts, each depicting in turn Black Sabbath’s conception, rise and legacy. The large company was essentially broken down into three groups of twelve. The first act – The Heavy Metal Ballet – opened to the familiar strains of Iron Man followed by Paranoid, possible the only Sabbath track which many people are familiar with. The dancers, all in black leotards and tights, were joined by a long haired leather-jacketed guitarist in the shape of Marc Hayward who was billed as The Guitar Spirit. He really gave the whole thing credibility and provided a strong and physical link to the band. Raúl Reinoso’s choreography was very classical in feel with some amazing solos including one of the male principals performing an extended sequence en pointe, the like of which I have never seen before. Resisting the temptation to turn the volume up to Sabbath’s customary seat-rattling, chest-thumping 11, the music was still fairly loud at an acceptable 8½.
The second act was possibly the most interesting, based as it was on the spoken voices of the band and that of Ozzy’s wife Sharon recounting the band’s backstory and rise to fame. The music was in a much lighter, more lyrical vein, featuring the simple acoustic guitar arpeggios of Orchid and the wistful Planet Caravan. The dancers, now in street clothes continued to demonstrate their classical roots to Cassi Abranches’ choreography which included a beautiful and sensitive pas de deux.
The first two acts were performed on the ubiquitous black box empty stage with lighting , occasional hanging discs and a smoke machine providing the décor. Act III provided some props and scenery in the form of a devil figure astride an upturned, silver painted car and some giant rolling representations of vinyl records. The car was occasionally and arbitrarily moved to a different location on stage, although disappointingly, it did not figure very much in the proceedings. Despite many of the famous tunes being reprised, this final part of the show which acted as a summary and celebration of Black Sabbath’s legacy, was almost too romantic and reverential. Even the odd moments of free-form dancing lacked any real exhilaration without a head-banger in sight.
Black Sabbath was the original and therefore the stereotypical Heavy Metal band, epitomizing the raw primitive energy of rock‘n’roll. They were dark and dangerous and embraced the occult, the sort of musicians you would not want your teenage daughter to bring home for tea. Heavy Metal bands with their long hair, tight black jeans and leather jackets became almost a self-parody – a cliché beautifully sent up in the brilliant Spinal Tap film which, as is often the case with satire, reveals more truth than that which inspired it.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Black Sabbath – The Ballet, demonstrated some outstanding and technically brilliant dancing performed to some great music, both electric and orchestral. Under another banner this would have been a remarkable and enjoyable evening but for its subject matter it was too sedate, too restrained, too respectful almost. If there was one thing that Mr Osbourne & Co were not, it was respectful. Black Sabbath, if nothing else, was exciting and I honestly have to say that, for me, this show was not. It didn’t really capture or reflect the essence of Black Sabbath and never got down and dirty which is what the band was all about, and that I, for one, was hoping to see. Michael Hasted 13th June 2024
