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Agony & Ecstasy: A Year with English National Ballet

Rob Farquhar

Alice Mayhall

Agony & Ecstasy: A Year with English National Ballet: Episode 3

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Episode 3

BBC Four - Agony & Ecstasy: A Year with English National Ballet, Episode 3

Artistic director Wayne Eagling battles the odds to create a production of The Nutcracker.

Series going behind the scenes at English National Ballet during a dramatic year concludes with artistic director Wayne Eagling creating a fraught production of The Nutcracker.

The final episode offers a raw and revealing insight into English National Ballet, one of the world's premier ballet companies, at the climax of one of its most demanding years. From injury and pain to success and elation, the series exposes the storm behind the calm of big ballet productions.

Wayne Eagling has a highly demanding job as the artistic director of English National Ballet, looking after the 64 dancers that produce eight ballets a year. He has also decided to put his neck on the line by creating his first full length ballet for the company - The Nutcracker. As the company's crucial and lucrative Christmas production, there is no room for error and Wayne must complete the two hour ballet on an extremely tight schedule. 

The film follows the creative processes of a choreographer under pressure and a new production fighting against time. With an important audience of critics, donors and government officials expected on opening night, the show must be finished. But with rehearsals running late and severe snow disrupting the making of the sets, it seems the dancers, costume-makers and technical staff are all fighting for stage time right up until the curtain rises.

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Series going behind the scenes at English National Ballet during a tough, dramatic year

On its 60th anniversary, a series going behind the scenes at English National Ballet during one of its toughest and most dramatic years

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