MARRIAGE itself is set to be put under the spotlight, literally, with an unusual dance performance at Malvern Theatres.

The audience will be asked to be wedding guests for the evening, and they won’t even have to worry about buying a toaster or a mug rack.

Even better, having to endure speeches won’t be a requirement.

A spokesman said: “After world premiere performances of Didy Veldman’s The Knot in Ipswich and Guildford in February, and Meghan marrying Harry in May, wedding fever continues.

“In The Knot, by Dutch-born choreographer and director Veldman, a cast of seven exceptional dancers play the roles of the bride, groom, best man and bridesmaids, and audience members become the wedding guests as the evening and celebrations unfold.”

The spokesman added: “The Knot explores familiar scenes of marriage as theatre spaces become wedding venues in Nottingham, Cambridge, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Bracknell, Worthing, London, Jersey, Plymouth, Bournemouth and now Malvern.”

In fact, Malvern will be the last stop for this matrimonial tour de force.

The spokesman said: “Guests arrive and excitement builds as scenes of love and togetherness overcome anticipation and nerves amongst the wedding party.”

Known for a sharp-eyed approach and some humorous touches, The Knot is Veldman’s second work for her company Umanoove since it launched with her critically acclaimed The Happiness Project in 2016.

The spokesman added: “Veldman scrutinises what a wedding means and how it feels in The Knot, the role of ritual, doubt, religion and gender is examined and the romanticised ideas of Walt Disney challenges our perceptions of marriage.”

Veldman is a former dancer with Rambert, one of the UK’s leading dance companies, and left the company in 2000 to pursue a choreographic career.

In the 18 years she has become a highly sought-after choreographer both nationally and internationally and has created works for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Cedarlake (New York), Cullberg Ballet (Sweden), Introdans (Netherlands), Gothenburg Ballet, Iceland Dance Company and Royal New Zealand Ballet.

In the UK, Veldman has been commissioned by Rambert, Northern Ballet and Scottish Dance Theatre and in 2019 she will create a new work, collaborating with composer Gabriel Prokofiev, the grandson of Sergei Prokofiev, for Birmingham Royal Ballet’s inaugural ‘Ballet Now’ programme.

The spokesman added: “For Umanoove, Veldman tailors each company of dancers to suit each work.

“The international cast of performers interpret the themes of Veldman’s work through her extremely physical and theatrical movement style.”

Dancers returning to The Knot this autumn are: Dane Hurst (Rambert, National Dance Company of Wales, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Company Wayne McGregor); Mathieu Geffré (Dansgroep Amsterdam, Noord Nederlandse Dans, National Dance Company Wales, Theo Clinkard); Oliver Chapman (Henri Oguike Dance, National Dance Company of Wales, Icon Dance); Sara Harton (erSa Danse, Les 7 doigts de la main, PPS Danse, ezdanza); and Angela Venturini (recently a post-graduate student at The Place). Joining them is Mai Lisa Guinoo (Rambert, GoteborgOperans) and apprentice dancer Sam Costello (London Contemporary Dance School).

Stravinsky’s masterpiece Les Noces (The Wedding) is intertwined with specially commissioned music by London and Paris-based British composer Ben Foskett.

His work has included commissions for CBSO Youth Orchestra and London Children’s Ballet.

Les Noces premiered under the musical direction of Ernest Ansermet at the Ballets Russes with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska back in 1923, in Paris.

There are actually several versions, including one that that Stravinsky abandoned without completing.

The Knot is commissioned by DanceEast, with support from Studio Wayne McGregor through the FreeSpace programme and funds from Arts Council England, Linbury Trust, The Master Charitable Trust - The Marina Kleinwort Trust, Beth Krasna and an anonymous donor.

The Knot will be appearing at Malvern Theatres on Saturday December 1 at 7.45pm.

Tickets are on sale at the Box Office 01684 892277 and online at malvern-theatres.co.uk