Stage: Bourne Again
Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures dance company bring Early Adventures to the Theatre Royal Brighton
Probably best known for his remarkable all male reworking of Swan Lake, this year’s festival will host Spitfire, Town and Country and The Infernal Galop, the triple bill of the works that launched Bourne’s career and cemented New Adventures reputation for wit, style and sheer entertainment.
Matthew Bourne has assembled an impressive cast of experienced New Adventures stars and exciting young talent. The company will be Kerry Biggin, who created the role of Kim in Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands, Tom Jackson Greaves direct from the current tour of Nutcracker, James Leece returns to the company having performed the role of Johnny in Dirty Dancing in the West End, Kate Lyons made her New Adventures debut in Cinderella and has recently been seen in Nutcracker! Drew McOnie was a memorable competitor in the first series of BBC’s So You Think You Can Dance, Christopher Marney was last seen as The Angel in Cinderella, Dominic North has appeared in more New Adventures productions than any other performer, Mikah Smillie has shown her versatility with New Adventures in a variety of leading roles and Joe Walkling made his debut with the company in the original cast of Dorian Gray.
Bourne’s work has built a bridge between the high art of the dance world and the commercial theatre that for years now have embraced conventional dance audiences and attracted new ones with works like Highland Fling, Swan Lake, Nutcracker! and The Car Man. Whilst having an obvious talent to amuse his choreography is never anything less than exhilarating, demanding excellence for his company at all times.
Matthew Bourne said; “Early Adventures sees the company return to its roots to help celebrate our 25th anniversary. All of the pieces on this programme were created with a desire to entertain and to share some of the music and cultural icons that I grew up loving.”
Spitfire was Bourne’s first hit in 1988. Both a celebration of masculine vanity and an affectionate comment on the preening grandeur of the classical male dancer. It hilariously places the most famous 19th century ballet showstopper in the world of men’s underwear advertising and mail order catalogue photography.
Town and Country – Remembered as the piece that most crystallised the Bourne style; gloriously witty and ironic but also strangely moving and heartfelt. It explores notions of national character from a bygone era through the evocative music of Edward Elgar, Noel Coward and Percy Grainger, amongst others. This 1991 two part dance revue features a high speed version of the classic film, Brief Encounter, a furtive meeting between two repressed gents, a jolly clog dance with a violent conclusion, a daringly wild ride on children’s scooters and an eccentric version of ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ played on the ukulele.
The Infernal Galop – A breakthrough hit in 1989, this ‘Franglais Spectacular’ was inspired by icons of France in the 1930s and 1940s; Edith Piaf, Charles Trenet, Tino Rossi, Jacques Tati etc. Through a series of surprising and saucy vignettes this is France as seen by the uptight English imagination with all the traditional clichés joyously paraded for our entertainment and climaxing in Offenbach’s inevitable Can-Can!
Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures, Theatre Royal Brighton, Thursday 17 & Friday 18 May, 7.30pm Saturday 19 May, 2.30pm & 7.30pm.
