The world premiere of Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will take place next summer in the UK!
The music from the Who’s classic 1973 album about the story of a troubled mod named Jimmy has been orchestrated by Pete’s wife Rachel Fuller and Martin Batchelar and recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, setting the backdrop to an explosive modern dance production featuring a cast of talented young dancers.
The lead role of Jimmy will be performed by rising ballet star Paris Fitzpatrick, who recently won the Outstanding Male Modern Performance award at the National Dance Awards for his Romeo in New Adventures’ production of Romeo and Juliet.
The ballet was choreographed by Paul Roberts and directed by Rob Ashford, who brought together some of the UK’s finest creative talent from the worlds of music, theatre, film and dance. The original costumes were done by Paul Smith (famous British designer of 60's mod suits) and Natalie Pryce, projection by Nick Hillel, and lighting design by Fabiana Piccioli. The creative team bring new dimensions to the raw energy and emotion of one of the UK’s most iconic rock albums.
Quadrophenia is steeped in the mythology of the Sixties — sharp suits, soul music, Vespas and parkas — but its themes of lost youth, rebellion, the search for belonging and hunger for social change are just as urgent today. This dance production will help introduce the story and Pete's music to a brand new audience of ballet lovers.
Quadrophenia, A Mod Ballet follows on from the orchestral Classic Quadrophenia, which premiered at the Royal Albert Hall in 2015 and toured the US in 2017, starring Alfie Boe as Jimmy, Pete Townshend as the Godfather, Phil Daniels as Jimmy’s dad, and Billy Idol as Ace Face. But even before Classic Quad, Pete performed an orchestrated instrumental version of the songs Quadrophenia and Love Reign O’er Me with Jeff Beck and the BBC Concert Orchestra at the BBC’s “London on Film” event at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in 2012. Both of these productions also had orchestral arrangements by Rachel Fuller and Martin Batchelar. There was also a full blown Quadrophenia musical that toured the UK in 2009.
Pete told NME he envisioned the project after hearing early demos of Rachel’s orchestral score of the album, “I heard her score and I remember saying to her, ‘I can just see dancers dancing. It had tones of Prokofiev about it. There was a poetic sensibility to what I was seeing,” He said of early workshops. “I was just shocked and surprised. I thought, ‘Hey, there’s new shadow here, there are new shades, there’s new optimism’. I was never happy with the film. I felt the film was lazy. It was not based on my story and it didn’t include much of my music. So I thought here was an opportunity to do something that honours the music, but also possibly takes it into a new era, a new place.”
In another statement Pete said: “Quadrophenia is the only Who album that I solely composed and produced and the movie that followed in 1979 launched the careers of some of the finest young actors of the time. In 2016 Rachel Fuller agreed to create an orchestral score of the album. When I first heard a demo of this version, without vocals, my first thought was that it would make a powerfully rhythmic and emotionally engaging ballet. Workshopped in 2023, that thought became a reality and I knew we had something that would resonate with new audiences, and also bring joy, as it had in its other iterations for decades. The themes of young people growing up in difficult times are still so relevant. It’s going to be poignant, tender and poetic and epic."
Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal (28 May – 1 June 2025), Edinburgh Festival Theatre (10 – 14 June 2025), Mayflower, and Southampton (18 – 21 June 2025), before the official opening in Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London (24 June – 13 July 2025), then on to The Lowry, Salford (15 – 19 July 2025).
Tickets for all the shows go on sale to the public on Friday, 5 July, 2024.
For more info please visit ModBallet.com.
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet UK tour dates
Plymouth Theatre Royal (28 May – 1 June 2025)
Edinburgh Festival Theatre (10 – 14 June 2025)
Mayflower, Southampton (18 – 21 June 2025)
Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London (24 June – 13 July 2025)
The Lowry, Salford (15 – 19 July 2025)
Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet creative team
Writer: Pete Townshend
Orchestration: Rachel Fuller and Martin Batchelar
Choreographer: Paul Roberts
Director: Rob Ashford
Costume Design: Paul Smith, Natalie Pryce
Projection: Nick Hillel
Lighting Design: Fabiana Piccioli
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Paul Roberts said: "Quadrophenia has already inspired me so much, bringing its legacy forward and discovering its voice in movement created so much emotive energy and passion every time we entered the workshop room. I know that taking our next big step into rehearsals will stimulate so much more excitement and our generous, brilliant, madly talented young cast offer nothing but vitality to this iconic story. I can’t wait!"
Rob Ashford said: "I’m excited at the idea of art forms evolving and emerging into new territory. That’s certainly what’s happening with Quadrophenia. I’m thrilled to collaborate with these brilliant artists on this dance /theatre piece. The music is timeless in its orchestral form and makes the perfect backdrop as we tell the story of Jimmy, and evoke a world of Mods and Rockers."
Sir Alistair Spalding CBE, Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Sadler’s Wells, said: "It’s an honour for Sadler’s Wells to be a collaborator and lead producer of this unique production. Quadrophenia is a story crying out to be told through dance and with this talented creative team we can be sure that we can achieve its full potential. Working closely with Pete Townshend and his team and our regular collaborator Universal Music UK we can each bring our particular skills and knowledge to make this classic of The Who’s discography a powerful and meaningful story for our time."
David Joseph, Chairman & CEO of Universal Music UK, said: "When Rachel and Pete came to me with the idea of a Quadrophenia ballet with extraordinary new arrangements, it was probably one of the easiest ‘we’re in’ moments I’ve had. We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Alistair and the Sadler’s Wells team so they were the obvious next call, and they just got it immediately. Our only conditions for this project were artistic and creative excellence, which each partner has delivered in abundance. Finally, I must thank Paul Roberts, whose genius has lifted the whole production into something we are all so proud of."
