Dorian Gray

Synopsis

Set in the image-obsessed worlds of contemporary art and politics, this dark fairy tale tells the story of an exceptionally alluring young man who makes a pact with the devil. Amongst London's beautiful people, Dorian Gray is the "It Boy" - an icon of beauty and truth in an increasingly ugly world. The themes behind Wilde’s cautionary tale - the destructive power of beauty; the blind pursuit of pleasure; the darkness and corruption that lie beneath the charming façade - have never been more timely.

Our Review:

22 September 2009

In a striking, modern interpretation of Oscar Wilde’s elegant novel of the hedonistic narcissism of eternally youthful protagonist Dorian Gray, Matthew Bourne uses a physical vocabulary that elucidates and analyses the ever-ready poses of the fashion world. Dorian Gray is a successfully audacious dance/theatre piece that presents Wilde’s morality tale to a new audience, as well as exposing and ridiculing our twenty-first century obsession with youth.

Using the familiar locales of brilliant white, austere fashion photography studios and dark, strobe-lit night clubs, set designer Lez Brotherston transforms the murky, cobbled streets of Victorian London into a recognisably modern landscape of conceit.

The characterisation is superb; Dorian’s blitheness in the first scene - clad only in a pair of white boxer shorts – is followed by initial coyness after his discovery by Basil, the photographer, whose shots catapult Dorian to fame and fortune. In...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

No reviews yet

Click here to add your review