Matthew Bourne’s ‘Sleeping
Beauty’ re-imagines the classic fairytale with a gothic twist. This
contemporary ballet, like Princess Aurora, is a thing of true beauty. Utterly
captivating from start to finish, with humour delicately interwoven and a
vampire or two thrown in for good luck.
This production was
incredibly refreshing, and while it nods to the upstanding traditions of
classical ballet, it is happy to drastically re-write the rule book on a number
of things. To some, ballet is synonymous with men in tights, pointe shoes and epic
acts of considerable length. This reimagining is wonderfully up-to-date and
thrilling to behold. Most of the performance is carried out bare-foot by all the
performers, and there is no Lycra in sight. Furthermore, the running time is
just right. At just over 2 hours (including an interval), the whole audience
seemed very comfortable.
This production was special for
a number of reasons; most prominently, the puppetry used to bring baby Aurora
to life. This mischievous little girl climbed curtains, crawled around with
lifelike determination and cooed in her cot as a group of fairies danced around
her. The costumes, particularly for the fairies, are simply stunning, but it is
the set designs and staging by Lez Brotherston and Associate Director Etta
Murfitt, which provide the ultimate ‘wow-factor’ in this production.
Each member of the cast was
exemplary. Ashley Shaw led the cast as Princess Aurora with grace and ease. Her
smile is so inviting, you cannot help but be spellbound by her. Her dancing is
completely absorbing and enchanting. In Act
Christopher Marney (Associate
Choreographer) was superb as Count Lilac, King of the Fairies. He commanded the
stage with exceptional presence and performed his role magnificently. From the
ensemble, Kate Lyons as Hibernia was outstanding. Her solo performance in Act I
was completely beguiling. Liam Mower as Tantrum (and various other roles in the
ensemble) was also excellent. His form is simply stunning and it was a joy to
see just how far he has come since his Billy Elliot days.
Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty
takes storytelling to new heights. There are a few moments which left some
audience members (myself included) confused, and a little extra clarity at
times wouldn’t have gone amiss, however, overall, this production really is
special.
In true Bourne fashion, Sleeping
Beauty challenges traditional ballet and in turn, becomes a remarkable,
original and stunning work of art. This production is wondrous and filled with
enchanting moments for all to enjoy.
Review by Harriet Langdown
