Studio Wayne McGregor

UniVerse
A Dark Crystal Odyssey
2023

Company
Company Wayne McGregor

Direction and Choreography
Wayne McGregor

Creative Consultants
Brian Froud and Wendy Froud

Music
Joel Cadbury

Digital Designers
Kontrastmoment

Lighting Design
Lucy Carter

Costume Design
Philip Delamore

Face and Body Design
Alex Box

Dramaturgy
Uzma Hameed

Premiere date and venue
13 May 2023, Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, London, UK

UniVerse: A Dark Crystal Odyssey reimagines Jim Henson’s epic adventure and unsettling world in the context of our own ailing planet, exploring themes of nature, exploitation, courage and rescue, and asking how we can come together to be whole again. Featuring the extraordinary dancers of Company Wayne McGregor, this is a modern myth for all generations.

Since its premiere in 1982, Henson’s boundary-breaking film The Dark Crystal has achieved cult status. A darkly fantastical tale with ecological overtones, today its depiction of an earth riven by extremes and in need of healing is more urgent than ever.

A team of world-class creatives, led by director and choreographer Wayne McGregor, includes artists and original Henson collaborators Brian and Wendy Froud as well as composer Joel Cadbury, digital designers Kontrastmoment, lighting designer Lucy Carter, dramaturg Uzma Hameed, costume designer Philip Delamore and face-and body-artist Alex Box.

For further information and to book tickets, please visit the Royal Opera House website.


A co-production between Studio Wayne McGregor and The Royal Ballet in association with The Jim Henson Company.

Image: Ben Cullen Williams.