The Royal New Zealand Ballet will finally get to première Loughlan Prior’s bold reimagining of ‘The Firebird’ for a Christchurch audience this month. We talk to the choreographer about using dance, digital media and film to blur the line between real and virtual to create something unexpected.

Choreographer Loughlan Prior first spoke to Cityscape about his adaptation of Ballets Russes’ ‘The Firebird’ in 2021 on what was meant to be the eve of its Christchurch première.

In the end, Auckland and Wellington audiences got to be wowed by the ballet, reimagined by Prior and designer Tracy Grant Lord in a world under threat, where humanity is facing extinction. Christchurch missed out, ironically due to a world threat.

The production is set in the desert landscape of a dystopian wasteland, a civilisation on the edge. The raw, athletic choreography matches the vibe and there’s urgency to all the actions on stage. “It’s a departure from tutus and tiaras,” Loughlan says.

It’s also a showcase for Loughlan’s talents in film and digital media, with backdrops and animations adding fire, water and desert storms to the storytelling. “I wanted to be a filmmaker before I started choreography, and that definitely influences my work,” he says.

Also on the programme is ‘My Brilliant Career’, a one-act ballet by UK choreographer Cathy Marston based on the novel by Miles Franklin. This is the first time the Royal New Zealand Ballet has performed a work by Marston, who is celebrated for her imaginative and emotionally compelling storytelling.

The Christchurch performances will be accompanied by a live orchestra under the baton of Hamish McKeich.

It’s four years since the Fates robbed Christchurch of its chance to experience your adaptation of ‘The Firebird’. Have you felt the need to tinker in the meantime?

I’m so excited that ‘The Firebird’ is finally heading to Christchurch; the show is going to look absolutely gorgeous at the Isaac Theatre Royal. Every time I have the chance to revive a production, it feels like an opportunity to refresh and improve upon the original. Since the première, ‘The Firebird’ has really grown. I’ve made a few subtle tweaks to the tone, structure and some design elements to bring out more depth in the story and highlight the urgency of its themes. The core and the narrative remain the same, but with a new cast and a fresh setting there’s always something new to discover.

Certainly, nothing has changed in terms of the relevance of the work’s message of environmental threat. It has a message of hope as well though, doesn’t it?

Yes, the production is set in a future world burdened by the consequences of human destruction. At its heart, though, it’s a story about the possibility of renewal. While we don't shy away from the reality of ecological collapse, the Firebird herself becomes a powerful symbol of resilience, rebirth and transformation. We want audiences to leave with a sense of urgency but also with hope. The idea that beauty can emerge from ruin, if we choose to act, is central to the production.

You seem to be loving the creative freedom that comes from working across dance, digital media and film – do they have something in common for you?

Definitely. At their core, all these mediums are about storytelling through movement, rhythm and image. Whether I’m working with a dancer onstage or crafting a visual narrative in post-production, it’s about sculpting time and emotion. I’m fascinated by how digital layers can enhance the visceral power of live performance, and I love blurring the line between real and virtual to create something unexpected.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

That’s a long list! I’d love to work with composer Anna Clyne – her music has such a bold, cinematic quality that feels inherently choreographic. In the visual arts world, someone like James Turrell or Refik Anadol would be thrilling to collaborate with – artists who reshape how we perceive space and light. I’m always drawn to interdisciplinary minds who push boundaries.

What’s your next project?

I’m developing a new full-length narrative for Ballet Ireland later this year and also staging my production of ‘Hansel & Gretel’ with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. There are some new dance film projects in the pipeline too. I’m interested in continuing to build works that cross platforms and travel well – narratives that speak to both live and digital audiences.

Is there a particular book or author that has inspired you in your life or career?

Angela Carter’s ‘The Bloody Chamber’ made a lasting impact on me – her reimagining of fairy tales through a dark, feminist lens was hugely influential in shaping how I think about myth and transformation. I return to her work often when building narratives that combine beauty with the uncanny.

‘The Firebird’ with ‘My Brilliant Career’, 28 May – 1 June, Isaac Theatre Royal.  
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