In an oversized drawer, a woman in blue leans over the edge and looks forlornly while resting her cheeks on her folded arms

Merlin Rehearsals

Take a peek behind the scenes in the rehearsal room for our ballet of Merlin.

In Rehearsal

Gallery 2025

Man leaps (grand jete) across the stage dressed in green
A woman in blue holds her body straight while a man holds her by the waist just above the floor
A woman in black with large black wings stands triumphantly over the prone body of a foe
A woman warrior holds a lance above her while being lifted aloft
Army in yellow carrying pikes all salute as one, their monarch dressed in black in front of them
The king stands in a sacred circle, his subjects and army kneeling and standing around him
In an oversized drawer, a woman in blue leans over the edge and looks forlornly while resting her cheeks on her folded arms
A man wearing a cron lifts a woman by the waist over in head, she has arms out, leg straight behind her and the other leg pointed straight down.

In Production

Technical Director Steve Wilkins tells us about the magic and Designer and Director of Puppetry Rachael Canning gives us insight to the many puppets if Merlin.

A Look at the Wardrobe, Wigs and Set

A selection of costumes from Merlin on the rack
A selection of costumes from Merlin on the rack
Three wigs and hair extension from Merlin on display on mannequin heads in Wardrobe
A black and a brown pair of hair extensions, and a lilac coloured wig.
A throne and an arch under construction
A selection of golden costumes from Merlin on the rack

In Conversation with Drew McOnie

Original Rehearsals, 2021

A dark haired dancer leaps, legs spread mid-jump, one hand outstretched to the camara
A female dancer is in full arabesque with her leg hyper extended while she holds on to another dancer who is on his toes
A male dancer leaps through the air in a full jete while a female dancer reaches up to him while sat on the floor
A male dancer stands on his toes while a female dancer is landing a full jete while holding his shoulder
A dancer rests his forehead against a dragon puppet's forehead, the dragon puppet controlled by a second dancer
A female dancer standing on one leg with the other outstretched while her torso is leaning back.
A male dancer lifting a female dancer high above his head

Photos by Emily Nuttall, Amy Kelly, and Riku Ito