Review: Firebird – A Mixed Bill (Touring)

18th September 2026 at York Theatre Royal

⭐⭐⭐

This performance from London City Ballet offers a mixed bag – two tales in two acts under artistic director Christopher Marney, and with the second far outshining the first. The company sets out to celebrate “the artistry and heritage of the past while championing new creative voices” which certainly shines through here, with the two shows representing each aspect of the company’s mission statement.  

Act 1 sees a wonderfully talented company, with the brilliant Alina Cojocaru as lead, perform Ghost Light by John Neumeier (created for Hamburg Ballet, 2020) with music by Franz Schubert. The staging merges what I, as a novice at the beginning of my journey with ballet, might call more “traditional” elements of ballet with elements of modern dance – and even movements I’d more likely recognise as part of body popping or break dancing. It’s an intriguing mix which is often surprising and bold to watch, but I found myself longing for some kind of narrative clarity amidst the elusive details and unexpected movement on stage. Only in reading the programme, post-performance, do I have a sense of the intention, but I’m not entirely convinced that programme notes should be necessary to clarify and connect with a show.

Nevertheless, the programme outlines that in Ivan Urban and Nicolas Gläsmann’s staging, the performance has, in Neumeier’s own words, “no literal story” but seeks to convey a sense of unity through recurring characters and movement – an approach apparently formed through COVID forcing fragmented rehearsals in groups of 6 performers each, only coming together when COVID restrictions lifted. For me, that unity and cohesion didn’t come across and I felt the piece was much more fragmented, with the repetitions seeming to suggest a disconnect between dancers who overlapped each other in oddly combined formations. Again, intriguing to watch, but not necessarily satisfying.

Firebird is Act 2’s 20 minute grand offering by Glen Tetley (created for the Royal Danish Ballet, 1981) and with music by Igor Stravinsky, it is an epic wonder which gave me the relief of reminding me that I do in fact understand tales told in the form of dance – and that such performances do move and grip and impress when music and movement combine so beautifully. Apparently this means I’m a classic ballet fan rather than a modern fusion fan… Telling the story of a woman breaking free from the constraints that surround her, Christopher Marney’s staging is brilliantly and enchantingly dramatic, while Ellie Young conjures the nostalgia of Hollywood silent movies in the expressiveness of her performance.

While Act 1 saw a significant amount of movement with no sound to lean on (Schubert is not a constant) for atmosphere, Stravinsky’s musical accompaniment in Act 2 is soaringly arresting and constant, filling the space with a powerful presence that becomes a character in its own right. It underscores the tale unfolding with impressively precise emotional shifts. Meanwhile, John Mcfarlane’s designs offer atmospheric backdrops and impactful costume designs that meet Stravinsky’s imposing music head-on, reinforcing the sense of gothic depth to the piece.

I’d say all in all, this one is going to come down very strongly to personal preference, but there’s something for everyone and for me, Firebird is really something special worth seeing. 

Firebird – A Mixed Bill is at York Theatre Royal until September 19th 2026 – more information and tickets can be found here.