The Informer

Date of premiere: Los Angeles, March 15, 1988. New York, May 10, 1988, American Ballet Theatre

Original cast: Kathleen Moore (The Girl), Victor Barbee (The Wounded Veteran), Johan Renval (The Young Fighter)

Music: Celtic tunes, arranged by Trude Rittman, John Morris, Martha Johnson, and Marc Blitzstein, orchestrated by William D. Brohn

Running Time: 35 minutes

Cast: 2 principal men, 1 principal woman, ensemble: 11 women, 9 men

The Informer is set in Dublin during the period of English rule between 1916 and 1921. It is a time of curfews, bombings, and turncoats. Resistance to the detested "Black and Tans" is bold. “The Wounded Veteran,” himself a victim of "the troubles" turns informer and betrays his comrade, “The Young Fighter,” who is wanted by British authorities. It is for the love of “The Girl,” who has rejected him that “The Wounded Veteran” commits this treachery. The ballet reveals the consequences of this act upon the individuals involved and the community as a whole. Relying heavily on traditional Irish step dancing, with its rigid upper body positions, suspended leaps and quick foot work, The Informer is a dark tale about political upheaval, loyalty and betrayal.

Photo above: The Informer. American Ballet Theatre. Ethan Brown (Wounded Veteren). Cover photo: The Informer. American Ballet Theatre. Kathleen Moore (The Girl) and Ethan Brown (The Young Fighter).Photo Credit: MIRA/Courtesy of American Ballet Theatre