REVIEW: Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking

A decade since its glorious premiere, Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty became the fastest-selling production in the New Adventures’ history when it was revived at Sadler’s Wells just a few months ago. Now embarking on another UK tour, the delights and dreams of this production find their way to a theatre near you, so you have no excuse to miss this utterly sensational ballet.

This gothic turn of the classic fairy tale beguiles and bewitches. It is a haunting and dark reimagining of the story of Princess Aurora we all know so well. With vampires, fairies and sorcerers at every turn, this production is not your typical fairy tale by any standard. Described as a “Gothic Romance”, there is much conflict and violence to be seen here. With peril seemingly around every corner and much to be feared, Sleeping Beauty keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Pocket Size Picks: Top Shows of 2022

Theatre has been through a lot in the past few years, with the complete shutdown of the industry in 2020 we were all left with uncertainty about the industry and how it would come back. Whilst we are still feeling the effects of this, the theatrical world is back on its feet and 2022 has been a wonderful year for theatre. Pocket Size Theatre looks back at the productions we've seen this year and we have collated a list of the best 20 shows we've seen, take a look and celebrate with us all that theatre has achieved in the past year! 

The Wicker Husband at the Watermill Theatre

"This is a story with real heart and meaning. In a world ravaged by war & global warming and dominated by a superficial obsession with images & messages on social media, it is a pleasure to see a story with powerful reinforcement of natural good triumphing over evil intent and a message that what makes a person beautiful is their soul and caring attitude rather than their external appearance."

Click here to read the full review 

Cruise at the Apollo Theatre

"This is an important piece for the LGBTQ+ community, Holden gives the performance of a lifetime and you need to beg, borrow or steal a ticket to this. The most important play you can see this summer."

Click here to read the full review 

Grease at the Dominion Theatre

"This is a really great production and whilst it may not be what audiences are expecting, it's a much-needed revival that the West End needs right now to inject some life into it. An absolute mind-blowing cast and it’ll be one I will definitely be returning to!" 

Click here to read the full review 

Grease returns to the Dominion Theatre in 2023, running from the 2nd of June to the 28th of October. Click here for tickets from £21.00!

REVIEW: Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty at Sadler's Wells

When it comes to fairy tales, we have often heard the story a thousand times before. Yet, when going to see a New Adventures production, every tale that you thought you knew, gets a whole new lease of life and magic, which is certainly the case for their current production of Sleeping Beauty, currently playing at Sadler’s Wells Theatre until January 15th 2023.

Having been a fan of Matthew Bourne for over ten years, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend the press night of Sleeping Beauty, as it reawakens celebrating 10 years since its premiere at Sadler’s Wells when it became the fastest-selling production in the company’s history.

Having mesmerised international audiences around the globe, I was eager to be transported into yet another mystical masterpiece by the company of New Adventures, who undoubtedly proved once again why they are an unstoppable world-class force to be reckoned with. 

REVIEW: Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man at the Royal Albert Hall

Having long been a fan of Matthew Bourne’s, I was excited to see the reimagining of Bizet’s Carmen at the iconic Royal Albert Hall for its 150th birthday celebrations. Famously working his magic by modernising operas and ballets to appeal to a wider audience, The Car Man, et in 1960s America at a grubby garage-diner, is a dramatic- and steamy! - thriller. 

A small town named ‘Harmony’ becomes the scene of infidelity and murder when an attractive stranger arrives and stirs the pot, causing devastating scenes. It goes without saying that the New Adventures dancers are at the top of their game, especially when Bourne’s choreography is satisfying in every sense. 

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake to return to Sadler’s Wells for Christmas 2018

New Adventures is delighted to announce that Matthew Bourne’s legendary “SWAN LAKE” will return to Sadler’s Wells in 2018 for the Christmas season with a fresh look for the 21st Century and will also tour the UK. Tickets go on sale at Sadler’s Wells on Monday 26 February 2018. Dates for Sadler’s Wells and the UK tour will be announced in January 2018.

Retaining all the iconic elements of the original production loved by millions around the world, Matthew Bourne and the creative team will create an exciting re-imagining of the classic production.

Thrilling, audacious, witty and emotional, Matthew Bourne’s “SWAN LAKE” is perhaps still best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered conventions, turned tradition upside down and took the dance world by storm.

Matthew Bourne's THE CAR MAN & CINDERELLA to be released for Cinemas and on DVD

New Adventures is delighted that Matthew Bourne’s “THE CAR MAN” is now available on DVD, with a Blu-Ray release set for Monday 11 December 2017, produced by Illuminations. The company is also thrilled to announce that Matthew Bourne’s “CINDERELLA”, filmed live at Sadler’s Wells, will be broadcast on the BBC over the Christmas period ahead of a worldwide cinema release from February 2018. 

Matthew Bourne said today, “The release of “THE CAR MAN” for home entertainment and the new recording of “CINDERELLA” for national and international broadcast is bringing the work of New Adventures to an even larger new audience who maybe do not have access to our live performances. It is part of a long held ambition to film all of our work for posterity but also as an inspirational educational tool for our work with young people.”

First seen in 2000, “THE CAR MAN” has been a smash-hit in the UK and around the world and this recording for Sky Arts was made at Sadler’s Wells during the show’s most recent revival in 2015. The DVD and Blu Ray release includes an exclusive 17-minute behind the scenes featurette, “The Making of The Car Man”.

REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty at the New Victoria Theatre

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.