The Who’s rock opera Quadrophenia has had many lives since it was released in 1973: a film (1979, directed by Franc Roddam); a stage musical adaptation; a 2015 orchestral album, Classic Quadrophenia, featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and tenor Alfie Boe. Now, this Sixties subculture tale has been revived in a rather unlikely medium: ballet.
Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet follows the story of a young mod, Jimmy (Paris Fitzpatrick), who rejects his parents’ way of life, struggles with unrequited love, and is caught in a rivalry between the mods and the leather-jacket-wearing rockers. The score is the arrangement created by the Who guitarist Pete Townshend’s partner, Rachel Fuller, for the 2015 album – minus the vocals.
In homage to the film, the performance exudes a cinematic quality through its use of multimedia. Naturalistic backdrops are projected into the black‑box theatre – sometimes on to a mesh screen in front of the dancers. Additional layers are added by Fabiana Piccioli’s lighting design: the cool blue wash of the sky, the warm golden glow of streetlamps, and the neon flash of a dive‑bar scene, where dancers gather in Twiggy‑style dresses and sharp suits by the costume designer Hannah Teare. Here, “ballet” is a loose term: pointe shoes and split-sole slippers are swapped out for LaDuca brogues.
Paul Roberts’s choreography eschews the highly formalised steps of the genre, favouring flexed feet over the point, and parallels to turn-outs. There are echoes of classical style, as in the Godfather’s (Matthew Ball) fouettés in his solo, but even here the smooth line is broken by a flexed foot. Roberts’s attention to force and flow creates a dynamic performance, with stunning holds and lifts.
But while the choreography is visually pleasing, and the themes of identity and masculinity are as relevant today as 50 years ago, Jimmy’s story gets lost in the storm of movement. If narrative is what you’re after, the film might be a better choice.
Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet
Sadler’s Wells, London EC1
[See also: 4.48 Psychosis is a disturbing dissection of the mind]
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This article appears in the 02 Jul 2025 issue of the New Statesman, Just Raise Tax!
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