Northern Ballet’s Merlin At Lyceum Sheffield Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Sheridan Brown
Yesterday evening, along with my partner, I was delighted to attend the opening night of Northern Ballet’s critically acclaimed Merlin at Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield. I love dance and was excited to experience a new ballet. The production has been described as a dazzling visual treat and we weren’t disappointed! Choreographed by Olivier Award winning Drew McOnie – their first full length ballet – the production tells the story of the young sorcerer Merlin, and his early journey in becoming the legend that we know and love. It was promised to be a mystical ‘origin story’ suitable for both new-to-ballet families and experienced ballet enthusiasts.
We travelled to Sheffield by train – strolling up to the theatre in around 10 minutes. It is rather an incline to begin with, but not too bad if you take it steady. Having visited the beautiful Lyceum before, we were looking forward to the warm welcome it offers its guests. Built in 1897 in the Edwardian Baroque style, the theatre has a beautifully restored interior. As always, the staff were very accommodating and helpful. In the foyer, everything is at hand: programmes, bar, toilets. The theatre is magnificent – but there are several steps to different levels – even within a floor. However, there is a lift to all floors and an accessible toilet near the lift on the ground floor.
We arrived in good time for the show and took the chance to purchase a glass of wine which we could take into the auditorium with us. As we settled into our seats, we took in the stage. Initially, all we could see was a lightly painted gauze drop-screen with darkness behind. But about five minutes before the performance was due to begin, a large, mystical, glowing ring began to rotate in the space behind the screen – creating an atmosphere of magic and wonder right from the start.
The ballet opens with a beautifully danced prologue. Two gods – The Lady of the Lake and Helios, The Sun God – dance together, in and out of the rotating ring. Out of their union comes a bright orb that holds a baby – Merlin. In an accidental encounter, a Blacksmith finds Merlin and takes him home, bringing him up as a mortal. His magic is evident from the start, but the well-meaning Blacksmith encourages him to hide his powers. But we all know this is never going to last …
As the ballet progresses, we are introduced to Merlin’s world; the mortal world of his simple blacksmith’s shop and grand scenes of King Vortigern’s court, where soldiers fight for honour and prestige. Juxtaposed with the mortal world, we are given beautifully danced scenes from the mystical realm. The union of The Lady of the Lake and Helios, The Sun God is reprieved several times – alongside ethereal forest sprites, water nymphs – and dragons!
Drew McOnie’s choreography was simply beautiful. Every dancer from the ensemble to the principal stars shone brightly. From the programme, we could see that The Northern Ballet’s company take on different character roles from performance to performance. What a depth of understanding and immersion into each and every character this must take. So impressive!
For me, one of the stand out set-pieces was when Merlin meets the Lady of the Lake. We could truly believe the illusion that she was immersed in water. The way that she moved – diving forwards, swooping backwards, horizontally ‘treading water’ – was stunning. Throughout the dance, her body was braced and manipulated by two or three supporting dancers that became invisible in the performance. It really took my breath away.
In this set-piece, as in the whole performance, we were mesmerised by the way that that the choreography and music were so beautifully brought together. Grant Olding’s score (recorded for this performance) provided a fabulous sound track to the story – capturing mortal action, mystical happenings and even the humour of the dragon so successfully.
Also supporting superb choreography and characterisation was a sumptuously designed set and fabulous costumes – both by Colin Richmond. Expertly lit by Anna Watson, each set had the wow factor – and some really imaginatively used manipulations of set created real impact. The palette was gold and silver occasionally shot through with subtle hues of aquamarine, royal blue and, of course, black for the baddies! Only Merlin and The Blacksmith wore soft hues of browns and greens.
Alongside the beautiful set and costumes, illusion (Chris Fisher) and puppetry (Rachael Canning) brought certain mystical scenes to life – adding a sense of wonder and other worldliness to the performance. Merlin’s relationship with the dragon was very sweet and their interactions very well observed. It was easy to let ourselves believe it was all very real. I can imagine children of all ages, bright eyed with wonder as sparks of light flew across the stage and the fabled Excalibur hovered, glowing in mid-air.
From beginning to end, this was a spectacular ballet; an adventure full of heart and courage, told beautifully through dance. Whilst we were grateful for the synopsis of each Act in the programme, I’m sure we would have had a general sense of the story without it. Drew McOnie and The Northern Ballet really have created a show that will appeal to all the family. What an evening of fantasy and fable we were treated to!
Rating: 5/5
Dates: 4th – 8th November 2025
Tickets: £15 – £59
Remaining shows are bookable here.