Contemporary dance – Cultivated

The Red Shoes

James Goffin — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:00:24 +0000

The fairy tale and film get a new life in this 10-year revival of Matthew Bourne’s love letter to stage and screen.

MÁM

James Goffin — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 22:49:04 +0000

A scattering of wooden chairs, 10 adults clothed in funereal shades, a young girl in ghostly white: just one of a ‘handful’ of scenes in Michael Keegan-Dolan’s maelstrom of movement that is MÁM.

The Midnight Bell

James Goffin — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 23:15:56 +0000

The Midnight Bell offers a seductive slice of 1930s Soho, served up through Matthew Bourne’s signature sharply characterised dance.

Ballet BC

James Goffin — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 22:53:13 +0000

An imposing group of hooded figures clamber from the auditorium on to the stage in the first of this double bill of performances by Ballet BC.

Songs of the Bulbul

James Goffin — Wed, 21 May 2025 22:35:43 +0000

This new dance work offers a mesmerising combination of movement and myth, inspired by the ancient Sufi story of a nightingale held in captivity.

Jane Eyre

James Goffin — Tue, 20 May 2025 23:24:02 +0000

The delight is in the detail in this stirring and emotional ballet adaptation of Brontë’s Jane Eyre.

Lay Down Your Burdens

James Goffin — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 23:32:57 +0000

The British boozer takes on a new dimension with captivating results in Rhiannon Faith’s immersive dance meets therapy show.

Swan Lake

James Goffin — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 23:19:56 +0000

Forget tutus and ballerinas, the swans in this 30th anniversary revival of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake are the sort that could break your arm – or your heart.

Sad Book

James Goffin — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 21:21:33 +0000

Michael Rosen’s award-winning novel gets a transformative dance adaptation in this deceptively simple production.

Moments

James Goffin — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 22:34:00 +0000

Precision movements and elegant allegory are the soul of this unusual and captivating piece of performance theatre.

Nutcracker in Havana

James Goffin — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 00:58:38 +0000

From the opening bars this is recognisably Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, but also something quite different: with Carlos Acosta’s Latin influences felt in the music before a single dance step.

Tess

James Goffin — Wed, 22 May 2024 00:11:39 +0000

Circus meets drama in a seamless and visually intriguing blend in this surprising adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles.

Edward Scissorhands

James Goffin — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 22:48:28 +0000

Tim Burton’s cult classic film becomes a lively, funny, and visually stunning modern ballet in this revival of Matthew Bourne’s reimagining of Edward Scissorhands.

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.

Peaky Blinders

James Goffin — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 00:16:50 +0000

This latest instalment of the Peaky Blinders story is a stunning feast for the eyes, ears, and heart, telling the tale of Birmingham’s infamous criminal gang through dance.

Rambert2 – Double Bill

James Goffin — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 05:58:00 +0000

Two striking pieces that successfully showcase the talent of some of the best young dancers make up this double-bill from Rambert.

Carlos Acosta: On Before

James Goffin — Sun, 18 Jul 2021 10:47:00 +0000

Two dancers and influences from across the arts came together for this captivating reworking of Carlos Acosta’s 2010 show On Before.

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.