Inspired by Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam Trilogy MADDADDAM

In an imagined future not far from our own, a bio-engineered apocalypse has changed the Earth as we know it. An incongruous group of survivors must navigate a dangerous present – and make sense of the past. Inspired by Atwood’s speculative fiction, in which, famously, nothing is invented that is not already occurring somewhere in our world, MADDADDAM holds up a mirror to the terrifying consequences of unchecked scientific experimentation, corporate corruption and exploitation, channelling the sentiment and prescience of Atwood’s writing.

• MADDADDAM is not a literal translation of Atwood’s trilogy. Instead, McGregor has called it a “rendering” that evokes the feeling or sensory experience of the novels.
  
  
• While the ballet’s three acts do not correspond directly with the novels (Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood and MaddAddam), each presents a distinct world.
  
  
• Atwood’s trilogy presents the past and present of a post-apocalyptic world, the errant result of a scientist, Crake, trying to save the world from humanity.
  
  
• The survivors include Jimmy, Toby, Ren and Oryx, as well as the gentle Crakers – who were created to replace humans – and God’s Gardeners, who care for the environment.
  
  
• For MADDADDAM, McGregor reassembled the creative team behind his award-winning Woolf Works, bringing together some of the world’s most brilliant artistic minds.

Wayne McGregor is the award-winning creator of trailblazing performances that have radically redefined dance in the modern era. He is Artistic Director of Company Wayne McGregor, Artistic Associate at Sadler's Wells Theatre and Resident Choreographer at The Royal Ballet. McGregor was awarded a CBE in 2011 and a knighthood in 2024.

Canada’s most decorated author, Margaret Atwood has written more than 50 books of fiction, poetry, critical essays and graphic novels and she is published in more than 45 countries worldwide. Her bestseller The Handmaid’s Tale became an award-winning television series and The Testaments, the sequel, was the co-winner of the 2019 Booker Prize.

German-born Max Richter combines many disparate elements in his score for MADDADDAM. He has said: “There’s some orchestral music and electronics and experimental things and techno. It mirrors this very hallucinatory, multi-world. I knew it could go big, but I also wanted something that could exist just on one or two instruments.”

Choreography: 
Wayne McGregor

Music: 
Max Richter

Creative Consultant: 
Margaret Atwood

Design: 
We Not I

Costume Design: 
Gareth Pugh

Lighting Design: 
Lucy Carter

Film Design: 
Ravi Deepres

Dramaturgy: 
Uzma Hameed

Sound Engineer: 
Chris Ekers

World Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, November 23, 2022

Co-produced and commissioned by The National Ballet of Canada and The Royal Ballet (UK).

Lead philanthropic support for MADDADDAM is provided by The Walter Carsen New Creations Fund, Tony Arrell, C.M. & Anne Arrell, Rosamond Ivey, Tim & Frances Price and Gretchen Ross & Donald Ross, O.C. with additional support by The Gail Hutchison Fund and The Producers’ Circle.

The commissioned score for MADDADDAM has been generously underwritten by Noreen Taylor, C.M. & David Staines, C.M., O.Ont.

The Producers’ Circle (2023): Gail & Mark Appel, John & Claudine Bailey, Inger Bartlett & Marshal Stearns, Laura Dinner & Richard Rooney, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin, The William & Nona Heaslip Foundation, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Judy Korthals & Peter Irwin, Mona & Harvey Levenstein, Jerry Lozinski, O.C. & Joan Lozinski, O.C., The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., The Harry & Lillian Seymour Family Foundation and The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation.