This beautiful ballet takes place in several glittering, atmospheric locations, from a bustling festive winter market (featuring local children performing alongside Scottish Ballet dancers), a travelling circus, a sparkling fairy tale forest, and finally the frosty fragments of the Snow Queen’s glacial palace.
Christopher Hampson, the Artistic Director/CEO of Scottish Ballet and Choreographer, began making small changes to the show during the 2019 run, and three years on has continued to develop the narrative and choreography, which he believes enhances the tale and the experience for audiences.
“Ballets are living, breathing art forms,” he says “Even the classics that we know so well, such as Swan Lake and Giselle, have adapted over the years, and The Snow Queen is no different.
“If people are coming back to see it and wondering if it’s going to be the same, then I’d say yes, but the storytelling and magical qualities have been augmented and deepened, so I think people might enjoy it even more.”
With this being the company’s biggest tour yet, more audiences than ever will have the opportunity to experience that special magic that only the ballet can bring at this time of year. And with the show arriving in Edinburgh in November, Christmas will come early for those in the capital!
Hampson said: “I’m overjoyed to be taking The Snow Queen out on tour again this year, after the huge success she had in 2019. As a choreographer, when you come back to a work you see it with fresh eyes and through a different lens, and I’ve learned to do that with more and more humility each time.
“I’m so lucky to work with such a great team at Scottish Ballet and, with this being our biggest tour yet, the dancers, wardrobe department, technical team and everyone in the Company are hard at work in the studio, work rooms, gym and offices at Scottish Ballet HQ to ensure this is our greatest winter season yet!”
Marge Hendrick, Principal at Scottish Ballet, said: “Playing the Snow Queen is a very special role for me as I was promoted to Principal dancer after my first performance of it in 2019, alongside my dance partner Evan Loudon, who played Kai. The Snow Queen is quite a manipulative character, and Kai is mesmerised by her, slowly falling into her trap.
“But she also shows some humanity and it’s this complexity of her character that I find most interesting to portray. The choreography is beautiful but also extremely challenging and this year I’ll be dancing with a different partner, so I’m looking forward to building the relationship between Kai and the Snow Queen with him.”
- Edinburgh, Festival Theatre: 19 November – 10 December
- Glasgow, Theatre Royal: 14 December 2022 – 8 January 2023
- Aberdeen, His Majesty’s Theatre: 18 – 21 January 2023
- Inverness, Eden Court: 25 – 28 January 2023
- Newcastle, Theatre Royal: 1 – 4 February 2023
- Running time: 1hr 50mins (inc. 25-minute interval)
