Matthew Bourne – Cultivated

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Play Without Words

James Goffin — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 21:26:12 +0000

From the outset of Matthew Bourne’s Play Without Words, the atmosphere drips off the stage.

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”.