This January, The Royal Ballet will revive Wayne McGregor’s celebrated ballet triptych, Woolf Works, inspired by the literary genius of Virginia Woolf.
First premiered in 2015, Woolf Works marked McGregor’s debut full-length piece for The Royal Ballet, earning both the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production in 2016 and the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Best Classical Choreography in 2015.
The ballet beautifully captures the emotions and themes from three of Woolf’s revered works—Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando, and The Waves—while also incorporating elements from her autobiographical writings that reflect her extraordinary life. The piece unfolds as a series of multi-sensory collages, featuring designs from McGregor, Ciguë, and We Not I, alongside costumes by Moritz Junge and lighting by Lucy Carter. Film design is crafted by Ravi Deepres, with makeup design by Kabuki.
In this revival, Royal Ballet Principals Lauren Cuthbertson and Sarah Lamb will debut as Clarissa/Virginia Woolf, while fellow Principal dancers Marianela Nuñez and Natalia Osipova will also reprise the role throughout the run.
Accompanying this stunning production is a specially commissioned score by Max Richter, who blends classical and electronic sounds with spoken word to create an evocative soundscape. Notably, the score includes a rare recording of Woolf reading her essay On Craftsmanship, as well as actress Gillian Anderson reading Woolf’s poignant suicide note.
Woolf Works will be broadcast live in cinemas around the world on Monday, February 9, 2026, with encore screenings starting on Sunday, February 15.
