Carol Ann Duffy writing first ballet

16 August 2012, 11:03 | Updated: 26 September 2014, 16:06

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy is writing her first ballet, a version of the 'Rapunzel' story, in collaboration with Sadler's Wells theatre company.

Carol Ann Duffy's bold new retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale 'Rapunzel' is to be aimed at a family audience. It is the first time the Poet Laureate has been commissioned to create a ballet.

The ballet has been commissioned by the Sadler's Wells theatre company, based in Islington, London, and will see Duffy collaborate with a variety of dance and music professionals.

Contemporary dance company balletLORENT and their founder Liv Lorent will be handling the choreography, while the music will be composed by Murray Gold, who has previously composed for television programmes Shameless and Doctor Who.

Explaining her attraction to the source material, Duffy commented: Fairy tales are both strange and familiar, frightening and reassuring, and provide a map of childhood which we can still use as adults to remember who we are."

The performance will go on a national tour before finishing at the Sadler's Wells theatre in March 2013.