Browse > Home / Reviews / Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker!

Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker!

February 27, 2008


Venue: The Lowry
Date Reviewed: 27th February

star

Matthew Bourne’s work always equals big box office for the Lowry and looking at his Nutcracker, you can see why! This talented dance-maestro has reworked ballet, dance and film - creating a series of silent movies, live on stage with a brilliant team of dancers, superb sets and heartfelt music.

Never one to disappoint, this clever and exciting director and choreographer revisits his classic re-telling of the popular ballet. The audience know the original piece very well, which gives Bourne the ability to pull a rug from right underneath their expectations. He transfers the action from a rich upper class home to an orphange and it works briliantly.

The stage is filled with drab colours and there is a Tim Burton-esque quality to the proceedings early on. Once we are taken to the lake, this exciting piece resembles a kitsch version of Raymond Brigg’s Snowman.

Then in act two, we are whisked away to Sweetie Land, which resembles Elton’s John’s house; full of colour and camp, contrasting brilliantly with the dull, dark orphanage. There is a wonderful menagerie of characters including angels in PJ’s, gobstoppers on motorbikes and luscious liquid allsorts.

The movement, as ever is superbly synchronised and fully realised, narratively. Granted, the darkness that figured heavily in his masterpiece The Car Man and the wonderful Edward Scissorhands is replaced by a lighter, airy feel. But this show remains a feast for the eyes and ears.

Bourne describes the music of Tchaikovsky as “story telling music” and he manages to pay homage to the original piece, whilst making it much more accessible to fans of dance, as well as ballet.

This magical show makes you feel like a child on Christmas Eve; full of wonderment. Like Sweetieland itself, this is a colourful and tasty treat. Bourne has done it again, as his Nutcracker is good enough to eat!

-Glenn Meads

Filed Under Reviews 

Comments

Comments are closed.