Contemporary dance – Cultivated

Sleeping Beauty

James Goffin — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 00:02:30 +0000

Ten years on from its debut, Matthew Bourne’s gothic ballet rendition of the Sleeping Beauty story has lost none of its dreamy qualities.

Richard Alston Dance Company: Final Edition

James Goffin — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 13:56:40 +0000

This is a show of unusually mixed emotions: Richard Alston has just been knighted and his eponymous company has reached its 25^th year.

Rambert2

James Goffin — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 17:17:11 +0000

This showcase from a talented young company proved something of an embarrassment of riches.

Romeo and Juliet

James Goffin — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 00:02:55 +0000

Verona is anything but fair in this dark and challenging reimagining of the tale of two young lovers.

Boy Blue: Blak Whyte Gray

James Goffin — Wed, 15 May 2019 14:54:23 +0000

From the first tentative move of the opening piece to the concluding strut of the third and final dance, it is clear Boy Blue are an exceptionally talented company.

Ballet Central

James Goffin — Fri, 03 May 2019 14:57:44 +0000

This varied and engaging showcase from one of the country’s leading ballet schools is a treat for ballet newbies and aficionados alike.

Pepperland

James Goffin — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 19:09:46 +0000

It takes some guts to mess with The Beatles, and it takes some serious panache to pull it off.

Grand Finale

James Goffin — Wed, 16 May 2018 18:53:35 +0000

From the very start of Hofesh Shechter’s return to the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, with a blatant nod to the monolith and apes of 2001 Space Odyssey, we a bombarded with a dense series of cultural references.

Cinderella

James Goffin — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 19:44:43 +0000

This may be Cinders, but there is no pumpkin in sight – the fairy godmother is a male angel, the carriage a motorbike and sidecar, and the ball is at the Cafe de Paris in the midst of the London Blitz.

Casanova

James Goffin — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 19:05:03 +0000

This sumptuous new ballet focuses on Italy’s famous romancer, seeking to recast him as a man as much of letters and emotion as of energetic rutting.

The Red Shoes

James Goffin — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 18:59:09 +0000

Based loosely on the Powell and Pressburger classic film, this reimagining of the reimagined Hans Christian Andersen fairytale is a typically stylish Matthew Bourne affair.

Beauty & The Beast

James Goffin — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 19:21:31 +0000

As with most fairytales there are some mixed messages in this Northern Ballet version of the story of the vainglorious prince turned to a monster by a slighted fairy.

Belonging(s)

James Goffin — Sun, 22 May 2016 19:08:38 +0000

Billed as an exploration of migration, the nature of belonging, and the fleeting nature of our surroundings, this unusual production took the audience from the auditorium of Epic Studios through impromptu performances spaces in Anglia Square, St Augustine’s, and the surrounding streets.

Lord of the Flies

James Goffin — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 15:26:55 +0000

William Golding’s classic tale is one of a group collapsing in on itself: this production is a group coming together in spectacular fashion.

Sleeping Beauty

James Goffin — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:45:49 +0000

How do you deal with a story where the key action is the heroine sleeping for 100 years? If you’re Matthew Bourne, you shove the slumber in the interval and sex up the narrative with vampire fairies.

Nutcracker!

James Goffin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:05:39 +0000

If there’s one phrase that describes Matthew Bourne’s imaginative retelling of the Nutcracker, it’s “oral feast”.