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The latest Three Star Play Review from THEGAYUK.

  • Theatre Review | Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake – Sheffield Theatres

    Theatre Review | Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake – Sheffield Theatres

    ★★★★★ | Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake

    Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake beautifully reimagines the traditional and well- loved ballet. Bringing the story into modern, regal times, it tells the story of The Prince who struggles with the repression of his life, but this changes when he meets The Swan, a powerful yet tender figure who offers comfort, solace and the belonging that The Prince longs for.  But as The Prince struggles with his relationship with his icy mother, things start to unravel as a familiar looking stranger attends the Royal Ball.

    Bourne’s signature contemporary twist on the classic ballet is simply outstanding and leads to a beautiful, moving and breath-taking piece of theatre. This version is perhaps best known for using an all-male ensemble for the bevy of swans, but whilst there is no denying the spectacular and dramatic impact of that, there are so many other elements which elevate this piece of dance to the dizzying heights it reaches. From the almost monochrome opening scenes in the palatial bedchamber to the vibrant explosion of colour in the Swank Bar, the modern twists provided by Bourne culminate in a fresh and vivacious production which constantly surprises and delights in equal measures

    Utilising his flawless cast, Bourne’s choreography flows back and forth from the frenetic to the tender and from the comedic to the dramatic; infusing many different styles of dance seamlessly with the traditional Tchaikovsky score. Whilst the replacing of the female swans with a male ensemble brings with it a sensual homoeroticism to the piece, it also provides for a beautifully told love story between two men, something seldom seen in dance theatre.

    Both Will Bozier as The Swan and Dominic North as The Prince simply excelled in their lead performances, with Bozier’s strength and fierceness being beautifully counterbalanced by North’s vulnerability and yearning.  Equally Katrina Lyndon was utterly delightful as The Girlfriend, but it seems slightly unfair to single out any dancer from an ensemble who universally oozed such talent and charisma.

    From the opening scenes to the terrifying and tearful finale, this show has everything to recommend it including humour, style, spectacle, originality and genuine emotion; and as the curtain fell, I could have happily had them reset the stage and start again. As a piece of theatre, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is simply sublime.

    Swan Lake is rounding off its national tour at Sheffield Theatres, so don’t miss your last chance to see this magnificent production. Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures are also currently touring his new ballet, Romeo and Juliet, and his award winning The Red Shoes will be returning for another UK tour commencing in November 2019.  

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

    ★★★★★ | Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

    Matthew Bourne's Cinderella review

    From the muted grey-scale colour palette of the opening act, through the smoke-filled streets of the Blitz and onto the underground dance halls of war-torn London, Matthew Bourne’s bold,  vivid and visually stunning reimagining of Cinderella is an utter delight. Doting to her father, mercilessly teased by her (extended) stepfamily and berated by her stepmother, Cinderella finds love amongst the destruction, as she falls for Harry, a dashing pilot.

    Bourne creates a world which is rich in characterisations, from the transformation of the mouse-like Cinderella into the belle of the ball to the Cruella de Ville style stepmother and the humorous, and deliciously creepy, foot-fetishist stepbrother. Every dancer tells an individual story, and each character has their own tale to tell. Yet despite having so much to look at, Bourne’s choreography seamlessly blends dance styles including lindy hop, jazz and ballet to create a clearly defined and easy to follow narrative; and there is a tangible sense of atmosphere permeating the theatre both within and throughout every scene. But underneath the fairy tale spectacle of it all, is a slightly darker story of love, yearning and belonging, bringing with it the power to pack an emotional punch.

    In a cast of technically precise dancers, Ashley Shaw is captivating as the titular heroine, whilst Andrew Monaghan simply excelled as he cut a swathe across the floor as the dashing pilot, proving that the romanticised notion of the leading man is still very much around. Lez Brotherston’s set design is superb, reflecting the hum-drum monotony of Cinderella’s home life in Act 1 before (quite literally) exploding into a riot of colour and movement in the second act and continuing to surprise well into Act 3. The show has a cinematic quality and feel to it, and is as inventive and multi-layered as it is visually exciting.

    Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella is a phenomenal breath-taking production which is absolutely sublime on every level.

    The show runs at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until 19th May 2018 before continuing on its national tour. New Adventures has recently announced a new national tour for Swan Lake for 2018/19

  • Theatre Review | Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield

    ★★★★★ Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty | In a reworking of the classic fairy tale, Princess Aurora is cursed by the dark fairy, Carabosse, to die after pricking her finger on a rose on her 21st birthday. But after Carabosse dies in exile, her son Caradoc vows to avenge his mother and fulfil her curse. But things don’t go according to plan and instead, Aurora falls into a deep sleep for 100 years, meaning that is down to Leo, the royal groundskeeper and Aurora’s true  love, and Count Lilac, King of the Fairies, to save her; in this gothic, romantic, love story that transcends the centuries.

    Photo Credit: Johan Persson

    Bourne is known for placing a contemporary spin on a classic ballet score, having already taken on two of Tchaikovsky’s greatest, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake with great success; and he completes his trilogy with Sleeping Beauty, setting a fresh take on the story to the time honoured traditional score, with an elegant production.

    Bourne delivers some intricate and masterful choreography that veers between the playful, the romantic and the dramatic; as he floods the stage with waves of movement to completely mesmerise the audience, clearly define the characters and progress the narrative. Where he really succeeds is the pacing of the piece, as it opens strongly and keeps building and building, with each set piece seemingly bettering the one before.

    The cast were universally outstanding, with Ashley Shaw demonstrating a natural grace and skill with her portrayal of Princess Aurora. Chris Trenfield was delightfully charismatic and alluring as Leo and Adam Maskell revelled in his deliciously dark dual roles as both Carabosse and Caradoc, roles which he has clearly now defined. But equally, there was very little to separate out the remaining ensemble whose technical skill, timing, precision and uniformity was impeccable, from their delicate and intricate movements to their facial expressions.

    From the jolting opening scene with its booming thunder to the thrilling final act (which I shall not spoil), Sleeping Beauty is a sumptuous production with an overlay of vampirism, gothic beauty and visuals which enchant and enthral. In a show which oozes quality from every aspect, in terms of set, costume, lighting, direction, performance and visuals, it amount to two hours of simply breath-taking, flawless and unforgettable theatre.

    Sleeping Beauty is currently at Sheffield Theatres until 21st May 2016 (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk). Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures have recently announced Matthew Bourne’s new production, The Red Shoes, which will have its world premiere in Plymouth in November 2016 and which is to tour nationwide in 2016/17. Visit www.new-adventures.net/ for details.

     

     

  • THEATRE: Le Corsaire English National Ballet

    BALLET ‘Le Corsaire’ by English National Ballet@The London Coliseum, St.Martin’s Lane to 24th January. 5 Stars! Flesh made Furiously Fluent! ★★★★★ (more…)

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Matthew Bourne: The Car Man

    ★★★★★ | Matthew Bourne: The Car Man

    Set amongst the Italian-American community in a small town in 1960’s America, Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man reimagines Bizet’s most popular Opera, Carmen, in a more contemporary setting.

    Luca (Tim Hodges) is a drifter, whose charisma immediately draws the attention of Lana (Zizi Strallen), the wife of Dino, Luca’s boss. They embark on a passionate affair, but Luca catches the eye of Angelo, a young mechanic who is bullied by his contemporaries and who is irresistibly drawn to the stranger. In a heady mix of violence, murder, sex, passion and revenge, Luca’s arrival sets off a cataclysmic chain of events.

    The overall feeling of the piece is one of grimy, seedy sensuality, with more scantily clad dancers, muscular, sweaty torsos and bulging biceps than you could reasonably expect and an abundance of sexually charged encounters, which abandon the usual constraints of sexuality. The main protagonist, Luca, is clearly comfortable in his attraction to both sexes and his passionate encounters with both Lana, his boss’s wife, and Angelo, the young mechanic, demonstrate both his irresistible allure and his self-serving manipulation of others. The other townsfolk are equally as liberal, where the fluidity of sexuality mixes in with the testosterone-fuelled masculinity of the mechanics and their blend of both fiery and submissive girlfriends. This is a gritty world, where sex, rough handling and casual violence are compounded by the intense heat, and one which comes across superbly in the theatre. It is also a world where the levels of sexual tension and dramatic tension are evenly matched. This is not just a straightforward narrative piece, it is a piece that delivers a genuinely enthralling story, pulling you in early on, and not releasing its taught grip until the final curtain falls.

    Whilst using what is effectively an abridged version of Bizet’s score, Bourne cleverly utilises the most identifiable pieces and surrounds them with original music, making the accompanying score simultaneously familiar and fresh. Further inspiration comes from Bizet’s opera, but never in such abundance that this production becomes a re-tread. For me, Luca was Carmen, and switching the sex of the central character was an inspired choice, but that doesn’t stop the other characters, Lana in particular, from taking on the mantle of Carmen at different junctures in the story.

    The cast were universally on form, tightly choreographed and performed incredibly, injecting each of their roles with uniqueness and filling the stage with an energetic and boundless performance, where the character was as important as choreography. Tim Hodges was as charismatic as the character he portrayed, and Angelo’s transformation from naive teenager to vengeful young man was superbly handled by Liam Mower. The set, crystal clear music and lighting only served to make this production the whole package. The Car Man is a simply stunning piece of theatre and could easily sit as this generations West Side Story.

    Sultry, sexy and sensual, you would be hard pushed to find a better blend of dance, drama and passion.
    The Car Man is at Sheffield Lyceum until 27th June 2015, before moving to Sadlers Wells Theatre, London until 9th August.

  • REVIEW | La Soiree, Southbank, London

    ★★★★★ | La Soiree, Southbank, London

    A Treat For Cabaret, Circus or Burlesque

    Roll up, roll up – the circus is back in town! Last seen in London in 2011, multi award-winning cult hit La Soirée returns to the capital celebrating a triumphant world tour and the 10-year anniversary of the troupe’s first show.

    The show is a heady mix of cabaret, circus and burlesque with enough quirky weirdness to please even the most twisted of people. Trapeze work, juggling, strip-tease and acrobatics feature along with music, comedy and some quite frankly hot men wearing very little at all. The world of cabaret can be a little tired but the well curated acts all put original and exciting spins on traditional art forms. Acrobatics are so much more fun when the performers are dressed as English gents and stripping off to the National Anthem, surely? What could be finer on a winter’s evening than a man dressed as a giant blue bunny squashing a balloon with his bottom or a depressed clown belting out songs? This is a very funny, lively and engaging show and well worth seeing. If you love cabaret, circus or burlesque then this is a definite treat. If you’re naïve to all of that then this is a good place to start sampling it.

    The Spiegeltent is the perfect venue with intimate ringside seats and a vintage feel that suits the proceedings well. There’s a range of seats with booths available and dining packages available if you’re feeling extravagant. Surrounding the venue are winter themed bars and stalls, a maze of fir trees and a lot of people in Christmas jumpers.

    The strictly limited Christmas season runs until the 11th of January 2015

    View the acts here: http://www.la-soiree.com

    Buy tickets here: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/la-soir%C3%A9e-87403?dt=2014-11-12

  • THEATRE REVIEW | DV8: JOHN, The Lyttleton Theatre

    ★★★★★ | DV8: JOHN, The Lyttleton Theatre

    Lloyd Newson’s DV8 Physical Theatre Company have been presenting innovative dance pieces for the best part of three decades and have won a plethora of awards. I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if their latest piece, John, now playing at the Lyttleton Theatre were to bring them a whole lot more.

    The programme note tells us that the piece we are seeing is not what Newson had originally planned, a work about assisted suicide. The emphasis changed when a close friend of Newson’s died unexpectedly, and he decided he needed to do a work about love and life rather than death. They interviewed several men for the project, but when John came into their office, it became clear that the new work would predominantly follow John’s story, and so the present piece was born.

    It starts as a monologue about John’s traumatic council estate childhood under the shadow of a violent, rapist father. Anna Fleischle’s ingenious, revolving set is put to brilliant use as characters move from one room to another. At first movement is fairly natural, but it becomes more stylised as the story evolves, though always as a response to speech. Rather than being set to music, in this case, the movement is a reflection of language and the words being spoken.

    Later the set doubles for the gay sauna where much of the second part of the piece is played out, perfect in its depiction of the endless cruising from sauna to steam room to restrooms. Much of the choreography is unbelievably complex. In the group scenes, you feel that if one member of the company were to misplace a foot or a hand, then the whole delicate balance would be destroyed. That never happens of course, and one of the joys of this production is seeing the way bodies fuse together, meld into one and then just as easily drift apart, something of a Newson trademark.

    Endlessly fascinating, but ultimately incredibly moving, it not only examines John’s reasons for having sex with men, but also unflinchingly examines why men may or may not take risks with their sexual health. Their stories are told without judgement, without prejudice.

    I won’t give anything away, but the ending with John caught once more alone on the stage was incredibly moving. It runs for one hour and twenty minutes without an interval, but time had gone so fast, it was hard to believe it was actually the end.

    A true collaboration, one should also mention the excellent lighting of Richard Godin and the sound design of Gareth Fry. Every single one of the performers should be commended for their commitment, for their skill, and for the beauty of the movement. So too should Lloyd Newson, who has yet again come up with a starkly original and thought-provoking piece of theatre.

    John is on now at the Lyttleton Theatre and almost half the tickets for each performance will be £15 as part of the Travelex Theatre Scheme

    On 9 December John will be broadcast live to over 550 UK cinemas and many more worldwide as part of National Theatre Live. Details at www.ntlive.com

    Runs until 13th January 2015

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Great Gatsby – Northern Ballet

    ★★★★★ | The Great Gatsby – Northern Ballet

    In 1922, Nick Caraway moves to Long Island, hoping to take advantage of the economic upturn. He buys a house near to his cousin, Daisy, who is trapped in an unhappy marriage to Tom Buchannan as a result of Tom’s infidelity and quick temper. Entering into the decadent and indulgent world of 1920’s extravagance, Nick attends the lavish parties thrown by his reclusive neighbour, Gatsby. Gatsby longs for his lost love, Daisy, and as the two rekindle their love; a chain of events is set in motion which impacts upon all of them as their world of excess and glamour comes crashing down.

    Northern Ballet continues to surprise and delight in equal measure with this production. The show has an almost cinematic feel to it, combining detailed narrative, rich characterisations, sweeping scenes and a mixture of choreography, ranging from traditional ballet to the Charleston. The party scenes were an absolutely delightful, producing a genuine smile and conveying the fun and decadence of the era with the uplifting and joyous music and enthusiasm of the cast. This made the juxtaposition with the love story, the themes of loss and regret, loneliness and divided loyalties even more moving.

    Giuliano Contadini brought a wide eyed innocence to the role of Nick Carraway; and Kenneth Tindall has never been better than in his role as the scheming and thoroughly unpleasant Tom Buchanan. Tobias Batley brought an effective, subtle performance of loneliness and regret as Gatsby and Martha Leebolt was superb as Daisy Buchannan. The entire cast deserve credit for the way in which; expressed only through dance; they were able to garner such rich depth of character for those involved in the narrative.
    The music was very much in keeping with the time period, as were the cloche hats, flapper dresses and smart tuxedo’s, which filled out the cast’s wardrobe. The live orchestra once again played beautifully and the inclusion of two songs within the score added a twist which worked incredibly well, one of which immensely enhanced the beautifully poignant closing scenes.

    Northern Ballet was named Best Company at the inaugural Taglioni European Ballet Awards in October this year, and with the consistency and quality of their productions, it is not hard to see why. The running time for The Great Gatsby simply flew by and the show was not only utterly absorbing but was very difficult to fault. Very highly recommended.

    The Great Gatsby is currently on national tour, visiting Canterbury’s Marlow Theatre, The Alhambra Theatre; Bradford, Saddlers Wells in London and Norwich Theatre Royal.

    For more information visit www.northernballet.com

  • REVIEW | Limbo, London Wonderground

    ★★★★★ | Limbo, London Wonderground

    Witness heart-stopping illusions, mind-bending manoeuvres, breath taking dance moves and thrilling live music from a coterie of highly skilled international performers. A summer celebration of otherworldly proportions: welcome to the greatest party ever between heaven and hell.

    If you’re expecting light circus tricks with cheesy grins and fluffy plinky-plonky music then you’re going to be disappointed. Instead you get sweaty muscled bodies, sinister tunes and tongue in cheek dark high camp. Expect to be on the edge of your seat, gasping in shock and feeling slightly frisky as you witness some beautiful people doing some death defying stunts. Sword swallowing, balancing acts, contortionism and aerial displays may be old hat but not when they’re performed with such panache and verve that there’s a whole new spin on it.

    The choreography is superb, the tone hits the right pitch and the atmosphere is electric. I’m not normally a person who gets carried away with the moment (inner monologue and intrusive thoughts: think Woody Allen but more camp) but this is a spectacle that drags you along with it and you wonder how the time went so quickly. Plus, you get to sit inside the gorgeous Spiegeltent on the Southbank; once home to legends like Dietrich, Coward and Garland.

    This pumping, dirty, beast of a show is a must see. Did I mention that the boys are gorgeous?

    Limbo runs until the 17th of August

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, UK Tour

    ★★★★★ | Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, UK Tour

    Matthew Bourne’s critically acclaimed production of Swan Lake is welcomed back to the stage on this national tour. Based on the traditional ballet, Bourne provides an updated and contemporary vision of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece. The piece follows a young prince who is bored with his life of public duties and frustrated by his mother’s inability to truly show any affection towards him. His life escalates to the point where he contemplates suicide, but changes his mind when he appreciates the beauty and magnificence of the swans on the lake. But his saviours may also be his downfall as matters culminate in confrontation and rejection at the Grand Ball.

    Bourne’s signature contemporary twist on the classic ballet is simply outstanding and leads to a beautiful, moving and breath-taking pieces of theatre. This version is perhaps best known for using an all-male ensemble for the bevy of swans, but whilst there is no denying the dramatic impact that places on the piece, there are so many other elements which elevate this piece of dance to the dizzying heights it reaches.

    Starting with the music, the show preserves Tchaikovsky’s score and plays it beautifully, with the sound being crisp, crystal clear and loud enough to be the perfect balance of being dramatic but never intrusive. The costumes were lavish, even down to the finest details. The set was sturdily constructed and looked amazing. The use of lighting created an individual atmosphere in every single scene and an incredible use of shadows during one particular scene created a chilling environment. In essence, the whole production was of the highest quality and absolutely oozed an abundance of class and sophistication.

    From the almost monochrome opening scenes in the palatial bedchamber to the vibrant explosion of colour in the Swank Bar, the modern twists provided by Bourne provided for a fresh and vivacious production which constantly surprised and delighted in equal measures. A combination of clever nods to the source material added to the joy, for example, Bourne boldly stages a ballet within a ballet, poking some tongue in cheek fun at the romantic ballets themselves, of which Swan Lake is a prime example.

    The grace, elegance and sheer talent of the entire cast was undeniable and simply could not be faulted in any way. The infusion of different style of dance, from ballet to jazz and beyond was seamless and fitted the traditional score perfectly whilst the narrative aspect of the production was easy to follow and conveyed the story well.

    By replacing the female swans with a male ensemble, the show has been interpreted as being very homo-erotic, not least because of the relationship between the Prince and the Male Swan but the attractive cast quite rightly underplay the point, keeping the show more on the right side of sensuality as opposed to eroticism.

    From the opening scenes to the terrifying and tearful finale, this show has everything to recommend it including humour, style, spectacle, originality and genuine emotion. As a piece of theatre, it cannot be recommended highly enough.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty

    With his new ballet, Matthew Bourne completes his trilogy of great Tchaikovsky ballets, which started with The Nutcracker back in 1992. (more…)