Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham – until 2 March 2024
Reviewed by Amy Coulson
5*****
Nineties anti-hero, movie poster boy, Tim Burton icon. Edward Scissorhands returns to us, sparking nostalgia, magic, and the questioning of our own identity. The incomplete boy left alone in a strange new world…
I’ve seen this ballet before. Too long ago. But my goodness, it stands out as one of the most enjoyable performances I’ve ever seen. Let’s hope I’ve not raised the bar too high…
Matthew Bourne has devised, directed, and choreographed this much-loved fable. Whether he means to or not, I for one have found his choice of production to be a gateway into the otherwise unknown world of dance. As a movie-lover, taking a well-respected film and adapting it for the stage makes ballet accessible. I know I’ll be able to follow the plot and can therefore sit back and enjoy the experience.
Bournes company, New Adventures, supports dancers of all ages and backgrounds. This shines through in the character development over the years, which now includes a same sex couple, who are fabulous!
Matthew Bourne has said of the production; “Never has the story of Edward Scissorhands been timelier. In an era when uniqueness and identity is both celebrated and reviled, it’s a story of how we treat anyone who appears to be different in our communities is a poignant and relevant as when my dear friend Caroline Thompson wrote the screenplay for Tim Burton’s legendary movie fable some 33 years ago.” How cool is that! Yes, that means that Tim Burton, and the glorious Danny Elfman have signed this production off, entrusting Bourne to transform this story into a theatrical spectacle.
There are new music and arrangements by Terry Davies based on themes from the motion picture score composed by Elfman, who himself has scored over 100 films with Oscar nominations for Good Will Hunting amongst others, but I think it’s his work with Burton that he’s best known and loved for. The opening scene with its hauntingly familiar score, will instantly transport you back to the first time you experienced the film, with warm chills.
Liam Mower as Edward Scissorhands is exceptional. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Johnny Depp was on stage! Although I would question Depp’s dancing skills. From the pout of the lips, and the startled eyes, to the tips of his impressive scissors, Mower is Edward.
Katrina Lyndon / Ashley Shaw as Kim Boggs was the perfect good girl, turn not so good girl, turn sweetheart. She had some lovely choreography with Mower. Their scenes together, just them, showcased their skill and I sat in absolute awe, completely transfixed, admiring them.
The entire company deserves a mention really, every single character was crafted perfectly. Each one telling us so much about their personality, yes through costume but powerfully through dance and movement, you were able to understand so much about their personality by the way they moved. It was a lot of fun watching them all.
Further shout out to the set and costumes, designed by Lez Brotherston, the lighting design by Howard Harrison and sound, designed by Paul Groothuis. They are every bit as precious as the dancers themselves.
The scenes and sets are magical. There were gasps from the audience as a dozen topiary come to life and provide a chorus line for Edward and Kim to fall in love around. There were mostly scenes with all the cast that provided almost too much to look at, a buzz of excitement and talent.
Expect a show with an overwhelmingly beautiful ending- no spoilers here!
I mentioned I’d seen the show before, well, it’s even better than I recall, which I didn’t think possible. I cannot recommend seeing this enough. Be sure to pick up a brochure, there’s great insight into the production, from story inception to film to stage.
See this production if you value joy, creativity, and acceptance. Thank you, Matthew Bourne!