1963 – Premiere of Peter Darrell’s Mods and Rockers ’63 by Western Theatre Ballet danced to music by The Beatles

Among the choreographers who have created works from the music of The Beatles was Peter Darrell, who specialised in narrative storytelling through classical ballet. In 1963 he created a ‘beat ballet’ – Mods and Rockers ’63 – based on songs by The Beatles. It was first performed by Western Theatre Ballet at the Prince Charles Theatre, London, and was grudgingly deemed ‘new and exciting’ by dance critic Clive Barnes. Designed by Desmond Downing, the original cast included Sylvia Wellman with Bronwen Curry, Suzanne Hywel, Gale Law and Oliver Symons as Mods, and Simon Mottram with Gail Donaldson, Robin Haig, Victor Maynard, Graham Smith as Rockers.