Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures
Town and Country, The Infernal Galop and Watch With Mother
York Theatre Royal, 24 & 25 March
Press performance Fri 24 March, 7.30pm
We are delighted to announce that Matthew Bourne’s EARLY ADVENTURES will arrive at York Theatre Royal on 24 and 25 March as part of a year-long celebration of work to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Company.
In EARLY ADVENTURES Matthew Bourne returns to his roots with a programme of hit pieces that launched his career and saw the birth of the style, wit and sheer entertainment that have become hallmarks of the New Adventures Company today. Town and Country and The Infernal Galop were last seen on tour in 2012 and Watch with Mother has not been seen for nearly 25 years.
The cast includes New Adventures favourites: Reece Causton, Tom Clark, Daniel Collins, Sophia Hurdley, Mari Kamata, Jamie McDonald and Edwin Ray as well as Joao Carolino and Paris Fitzpatrick who are making their New Adventures debut.
EARLY ADVENTURES is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne with designs by long-time collaborator Lez Brotherston.
Town and Country – Lie back and think of England…Moving and hilarious, this heartfelt pastiche explores notions of national character from a bygone era through the evocative music of Edward Elgar, Noël Coward and Percy Grainger, amongst others.
The Infernal Galop – A French dance with English subtitles. This is France as seen by the uptight English imagination, with all the traditional clichés joyously paraded for our entertainment and climaxing in Offenbach’s inevitable Can-Can!
Watch with Mother – Seen but not heard? – Conkers, Hopscotch, Doctors & Nurses; Children’s games can be all-consuming, competitive and sometimes cruel. Based on Joyce Grenfell’s famous Nursery School sketches (“George… Don’t do that”) and set to Percy Grainger’s own piano compositions and arrangements of Bach and Faure, this 1991 piece has not been seen for nearly 25 years.
There will be a post-show Q & A with Matthew Bourne on Friday 24 March.