The man who brought the world an all-male Swan Lake is returning to Scotland with his dance adaptation of Edward Soissorhands. Kelly Apter talks to four of Matthew Bourne’s young proteges
about what it’s like to work with a genuine original.
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daptation is rile in the dance world.
l’lays. l'airytales and novels regularly
lind themselves squee/ed into a lulu and set to music. Films. on the other hand. are usually called ttpon purely for inspiration the odd cinetnatic reference dropped into the mix by a tttovie-loving chtireographer. But it was only a matter ol time before the man who named his dance company /‘\dventures in Motion Pictures took his love affair with film to its logical conclusion. Matthew Bourne is the Closest thing the dance world has to a hottsehold name a visionary cltoreographer whose male Swim lu/u' proved that somewhere between classical hallet and contemporary dance lies a hallway house where entertainment reigns. ()v er the past ten years Bourne‘s reputation has grown along with his attdience ligures. and lit/HUN] St'i'swr/nuuls is not about to reverse that trend.
Bourne tell in love with Tim Burton's l‘)‘)(l lilm the lirst time he saw it. citing Danny lill'man‘s music and the universal appeal ol’ lidward's awkwardness as the reasons. Several years ol negotiations preceded the show linally opening at London's Sadler‘s Wells theatre last November. with Burton‘s approval the pivotal eletnent. l)espite Bourne‘s tinkering ~ the dance version features an explanatory prologue. several new l'amilies and a different ending Burton gave the show a thumbs up when he and partner Helena Bonham (‘aner attended the opening night.
(iiven that Bourne now divides his time between his re-named company. New Adventures. and choreographing musicals (the award-winning My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins) it‘s no surprise that lit/ward St'is'sur/twtr/x is more
14 THE LIST 2—16 Feb 2006