Episode 34: Ballet Zurich director Cathy Marston choreographs new perspectives on old narratives

Formerly the director of Bern Ballet from 2007 to 2013, Cathy Marston is currently the Director of Ballet Zürich in Switzerland, as well as an internationally renowned choreographer of contemporary ballet. Originally trained at the Royal Ballet School, she’s known for her inventive approach to storytelling—translating seminal works from the English literary canon onto stage and into movement to offer new perspectives on familiar narratives.

For example, her Mrs Robinson (2023) was an adaptation of Charles Webb’s The Graduate for San Francisco Ballet, and Snowblind (2018), created for the same company, was inspired by Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome. Other literary adaptations include D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Similarly, her biographically inspired ballets bring historical women to the fore: while The Cellist, created for The Royal Ballet in 2020, tells the story of celebrated cellist Jacqueline du Pré; Victoria made for Northern Ballet in 2019, explores the life and legacy of renowned British monarch Queen Victoria.

Originally choreographed on Northern Ballet in 2016, Cathy’s adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre has been regularly restaged since its creation. It’s currently on tour around the UK, with upcoming dates at Sadler’s Wells (13th-17th May 2025) and Norwich Theatre Royal (20th-24th May 2025). In light of the revival, Terpsichore spoke to Cathy about her choreographic voice, collaborative methods, and the stories that continue to inspire her to reimagine narrative through movement.