Rambert Will Perform IN CRIMSON, First Jerwood Commission With Bobbi Jene Smith

Rambert has announced In Crimson, a new collaboration with Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, reimagining the duo's acclaimed work Fugue in Crimson for the dancers of Rambert. The production completes This Is Rambert, the company's electrifying centenary programme. 

Rambert's first Jerwood Commission is a sensuous and genre-defying new work, In Crimson marks the duo's first presentation in the UK and their European premiere with Rambert, bringing their distinctive voice to the stage through the company's exceptional dancers.

Blurring the lines between performer and spectator, stage and backstage, presence and absence, In Crimson explores charged transitional spaces - between the visible and the hidden, what unfolds on the surface and what sizzles beneath - emerging as a provocative and compelling addition to today's contemporary dance landscape and a powerful finale to Rambert's landmark year.

Seven dancers are lost in a state of desire - for movement, for each other, for the act of performance itself. Intimate and sensual In Crimson is an ode to the passion of performing and the electric proximity between dancers and their audience.

Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber - whose work spans dance, opera, theatre and film - bring their acclaimed practice to the UK for the first time in this striking European premiere, shaped by the extraordinary physicality and artistry of Rambert's dancers. Featuring an original live score by Yonatan Daskal, performed on stage.

This Is Rambert is a fierce, fearless triple bill celebrating choreographic voices shaping the future of dance, featuring Hop(e)storm by (LA)HORDE, Gallery of Consequence by Emma Evelein, and now this re-imagined work from Smith and Schraiber. Far from a retrospective, Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer has curated a programme that captures the urgency of now - told through electric movement, raw intensity and unflinching physicality.

Touring nationally and internationally throughout its milestone year, Rambert reaffirms its position as a cultural leader that has never stood still. With a legacy rooted in innovation and social relevance, the company continues to push boundaries - bringing urgent stories to life through movement that provokes, inspires and connects. As it enters its second century, Rambert remains fresh, fearless and firmly on the cultural pulse.

On the announcement Rambert's Artistic Director, Benoit Swan Pouffer said, “I've followed Bobbi's work for a long time and have always connected with its honesty and intensity. It's bold, intimate and full of tension — and feels like a natural fit within This Is Rambert, alongside the other powerful voices in the programme. As we mark this great milestone, this is exactly the kind of work we want to be sharing.”

Bobbi Jean Smith and Or Schraiber said, “Seeing this work through the lens of the Rambert dancers has given it a new, electric life. There is a special soul in this company that mirrors the urgency of the work. To bring this piece to the UK for the first time with Rambert feels like the perfect collision of timing and spirit - it's about the raw vulnerability of being seen and the beauty we find in the shadows."

Lara Wardle, Executive Director of Jerwood Foundation said, “This new partnership with Rambert, to support Jerwood Commission, underlines Jerwood Foundation's long-held commitment to creative excellence and emerging talent in the UK. Enabling a pathway for choreographers will give them the opportunity to create work which will support Rambert's dynamic vision for the next century of dance.” 

The announcement comes during Rambert's centenary celebrations, marked by its nationwide Future 100 programme. Alongside this new work, Rambert continues to expand its ambitious programme with the development of a major new stage adaptation of It's A Sin. Inspired by the BAFTA-nominated series, the production reimagines Russell T Davies's era-defining story through contemporary dance, with Davies serving as Executive Producer alongside Pet Shop Boys and Glyn Fussell. Directed and choreographed by Rambert's Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, the work brings together an exceptional creative team to translate the emotional power of the original series into a visceral, movement-led theatrical experience. Premiering at Aviva Studios in Manchester as a co-production with leading international partners, the work marks another bold step in Rambert's commitment to telling powerful, socially resonant stories through dance. More info on It's A Sin to follow this year.

Performance Dates

LONDON – SADLER’S WELLS
Wed 10 June - Press Night
Thu 11 June
Fri 12 June
Sat 13 June – Matinee & Evening 

NEWCASTLE – THEATRE ROYAL 
Tue 16 June
Wed 17 June 

EDINBURGH – FESTIVAL THEATRE
Thu 2 July 
Fri 3 July
Sat 4 July – Matinee 

SALFORD – THE LOWRY 
Tue 7 July
Wed 8 July
Thu 9 July 

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