Birmingham Royal Ballet Black Sabbath – The Ballet Review
September 18, 2025 | Birmingham Hippodrome – Birmingham, England, UK
It was particularly special to witness the return of Black Sabbath – The Ballet, performed by Birmingham Royal Ballet, in the city of Birmingham.
Since the production’s world premiere in 2023, the ballet has received rave reviews, touring internationally, and captivating audiences everywhere it goes. The ballet is a passionate celebration of the music and legacy of Black Sabbath, the heavy metal band founded in Birmingham in 1968. So the fanfare for its return to Birmingham, where the company and the birth of heavy metal calls home, was not unexpected.
However, there was an extra level of interest as it returns to the city only a few months after the death of Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic lead singer of the band, who passed away only two weeks after the band’s final farewell performance in Birmingham in July.
There was a feeling of anticipation in the theatre before the ballet began, as though the audience was acutely aware of the extra meaning this night held. Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Carlos Acosta, welcomed the audience before the show began and paid tribute to Osbourne’s legacy.
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Birmingham Royal Ballet Black Sabbath - The Ballet Review
Although this was a somber moment to start the show, the ballet itself is raucous, exciting, and sometimes bewildering. It plays with conventions, and it’s far from traditional.
But when you think of a heavy metal ballet, you’re not expecting the traditional, are you?
The ballet is divided into three acts that are distinct from each other and touch on different ideas inspired by the band’s 55-year career. Each act was devised by a different choreographer, with Pontus Lidberg overseeing the full work as Lead Choreographer, and Christopher Austin acting as Lead Composer.
Other ballets that feature the music of a famous popular artist often play their recorded music as-is, and while fun and recognisable, it gives only one dimension to the music. Black Sabbath is different.
Austin, along with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi contributing as a consultant, composed and arranged the music, taking famous motifs and incorporating the orchestra to create new musical worlds. It’s one of the ballet’s greatest strengths, building on the band’s history of creative play and bringing a fresh interpretation that then influences the choreography.
The first act, titled ‘Heavy Metal Ballet’, choreographed by Raúl Reinoso, welcomes the audience to this unique world, as the dancers emerge from the shadows to the slow march of “War Pigs”. Soon they are joined by a guitarist, a ‘Guitar Spirit,’ who performs with the company throughout the production.
As he conjures the iconic guitar riff of “Iron Man”, the dancers gather around him and revel in the music, culminating in an ecstatic finale of tricks – fouettés, turns, and leaps – with the unique, wild energy that comes from dancing to rock music.
It even features a man on pointe dancing with the Guitar Spirit in a playful conversation between music and dance. Exuding power and confidence, the dancer defies traditional norms with bold kicks and jumps, continuing to touch on the ballet’s theme of rebellion.
An unexpected highlight from ‘Heavy Metal Ballet’ was a pas de deux performed to an orchestral cover of the song “Solitude”. In this , the dancers share an ‘eternal kiss,’ touching their lips together throughout the choreography.
At first glance, it looks odd, but as the dancers weave their bodies around each other, never breaking the kiss, I was left in awe at not only the strength and coordination but also the intimacy.
During this pas, the tone completely shifts and the theme from “Iron Man” returns, familiar but now soulful and melancholic. It reinforces how the ballet aims to honour Black Sabbath in a different way, not by just playing their music, but experimenting and interpreting it in new ways to elicit emotions you wouldn’t expect.
Act II, titled ‘The Band,’ takes a more personal look at the band members themselves, bringing to life their experiences during their career. Choreographed by Cassi Abranches, much of the movement is paired with audio clips from interviews, interpreting the members’ thoughts and memories.
The dancers are dressed in street clothing, representing not only the band in its early days, but also youth in general and the rebellious spirit of the young generation. The choreography is more contemporary with bold, thrashing movements rather than classical, balletic shapes.
The act jumped between new ideas quickly, touching on the band’s early inspiration from Gustav Holst’s The Planets Suite, to Iommi’s accident in a welding factory that threatened to end his music career, to the band’s challenges dealing with fame later in their lives.
It ultimately ends with all the dancers reuniting onstage, stronger and more united than before.
The personal anecdotes and the reflective choreography is the greatest strength of the act, and it brings the band to life; but overall the contemporary movement did not inspire me in the same way that the first act did.
While the production intentionally touches a wide range of ideas, this act felt the most likely to become disjointed.
The final act, ‘Everybody is a Fan,’ choreographed by Lidberg, is the culmination of the first two acts and a celebration of the band’s lasting legacy.
The stage is now stripped down with the theatre drapes in the wings removed, as if the audience is now at a rock concert.
The dancers wear Black Sabbath band t-shirts, with movement ranging from classical, romantic pas to enthusiastic, raucous group dances.
The Guitar Spirit returns, and he performs with another male dancer in playful ‘pas’ similar to the one in the first act. Although this man is not on pointe, he is also lively and alacritous, matching the high energy of the electric guitar.
The music builds in chaos as the motifs from the previous acts all come together, creating a cacophony of sounds as the full company comes together for a final dance. The energy was infectious enough to pull the audience in to join in the clapping and dancing.
Iommi himself made a surprise appearance and performed onstage with the company as a special dedication to Osbourne.
It’s easy to see why Black Sabbath – The Ballet has captured audiences everywhere. It is edgy, playful, and rebellious. It has the essence of a rock opera, with eccentric props and some macabre costumes.
Because it touches on so many ideas and themes, it becomes a bit chaotic along the way. But this chaos is part of the band’s identity. Although I am not an expert in the band’s discography, I know Black Sabbath was highly influential in how it pushed boundaries, changing the sound of rock music and galvanising audiences worldwide, while causing some panic along the way too.
The music arrangement is featured as much, and sometimes more, than the dancers onstage, so much so that the ballet itself can get lost in the mix. At times I felt the choreography could be pushed even further, beyond strumming air guitars and rhythmic steps. But these moments were hidden amongst some spectacular scenes.
The band’s rebellious spirit comes across in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production by experimenting with music, movement, and storytelling. Despite the chaotic moments (or because of it), the energy in the theatre was never dull.
The creative team and the dancers brought passion and intention to every note, design and movement, all to celebrate the band’s legacy. To watch this production in Birmingham, the home of BRB and Black Sabbath, was an honour.
But don’t worry: even if you see Black Sabbath – The Ballet elsewhere, the spirit of the band is sure to follow and will make it a night to remember.
Featured Photo for this Black Sabbath – The Ballet review of of Birmingham Royal Ballet‘s Yaoqian Shang and Javier Rojas. Photo by Johan Persson.
