Rediscovering Dance: Matthew Bourne's Transformative Ballets
Step into a world where tradition meets daring innovation in the captivating performances of Matthew Bourne's iconic ballets. With a fresh spin on Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, a poignant glimpse into 1930s London in The Midnight Bell, and the enchanting tale of The Red Shoes, audiences are invited to experience an unforgettable journey through dance, emotion, and storytelling. These productions, performed by a stellar cast across multiple venues, showcase the magic of ballet like never before.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake returns for its 30th anniversary with a 2024/25 UK tour. This audacious reinvention of Tchaikovsky's masterpiece caused a sensation when it premiered almost 30 years ago and has since become the most successful dance theatre production of all time. In celebration of that ongoing impact, Swan Lake will take flight once more in this major revival for the next generation, visiting 19 venues over 29 weeks.
Thrilling, bold, witty and emotive, this genre-defining event is still best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered convention, turning tradition on its head.
In 1930s London ordinary people emerge from cheap boarding houses nightly to pour out their passions, hopes and dreams in the pubs and fog-bound streets of Soho and Fitzrovia. Step inside The Midnight Bell, a tavern where one particular lonely-hearts club gather to play out their lovelorn affairs of the heart; bitter comedies of longing, frustration, betrayal and redemption.
Inspired by the great English novelist Patrick Hamilton (Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky, Hangover Square) who created some of the most authentic fiction of his era; stories borne out of years of social interactions with the working man and woman at his favourite location - the London Pub.
A timeless fairytale and Academy Award-winning movie, The Red Shoes has captivated audiences and inspired generations of dancers with its powerful tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a fierce struggle between the two men who inspire her passion.
Matthew Bourne’s magical double Olivier Award-winning production of the legendary Powell and Pressburger film is set to a score orchestrated by Terry Davies, featuring the mesmerizing music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, with sumptuous designs by Lez Brotherston (set and costumes), Paule Constable (lighting) and Paul Groothuis (sound).
An intoxicating drama where life imitates art with fateful consequences, The Red Shoes will dazzle your senses and break your heart.
Matthew Bourne and New Adventures have consistently pushed the boundaries of what ballet can be, challenging perceptions and delighting audiences worldwide. Through productions like 'Swan Lake,' 'The Midnight Bell,' and 'The Red Shoes,' Bourne has demonstrated that dance is not just an art form, but a powerful means of storytelling. As these productions tour the UK and beyond, they offer an invitation to experience the beauty and transformative power of ballet. Whether you're a seasoned ballet aficionado or a newcomer to the theatre, these performances promise to leave a lasting impression.