Review of Edward Scissorhands at Milton Keynes Theatre

The 1990 Tim Burton movie Edward Scissorhands is a classic of its genre, somewhat in a genre of Burton's own creation it has to be said, but still a classic. The innovative director has made the dark, fantastical style with broad colours and dark atmosphere very much his thing, and the magnificent world and story of Edward was the perfect fodder for Sir Matthew Bourne, dance supremo, to create a stunning dance adaptation.

Bourne's show was first staged in 2005 and is here at Milton Keynes Theatre as part of a new UK tour. This tour actually provides the first opportunity to see the show on stage for nine years, and is it well worth doing so. It has to be said, that it is very different at times from the Burton film, and not just because this is dance. The story has been dramatically altered and very much lightened as well, there is, much more humour at play in this production, especially thanks to a huge development of the townspeople of Hope Springs, where Edward finds himself following the death of his scientist father/creator.

All of the residents are brought to life in such individual delight, with just costume, mannerism, and dance that this alone is a sublime five-star experience. The Monroe family, for instance, brings so much humour to the production, be it the brilliant Nicole Kabera as the maneater Joyce Monroe, ready to seduce the scissor-handed innocent or get her kicks from a washing machine. Meanwhile scene stealer James Lovell as her husband George, henpecked but ready to strut his glorious weakling body, but quickly got the better of by a lawnmower. There is just so much to love in fact from every character in the town of Hope Springs that they make a brilliant show of themselves.

However what of the main attraction, the man at the cutting edge of the show? The original film made a star of Johnny Depp in the titular role, so, anyone stepping into those scissors has much to live up to, even if that role is here being created via the medium of dance. Taking that task in this performance, a role shared on this tour, is Stephen Murray, and he is superb. It helps that the combination of exceptional costumes, a strong feature of this production, from Lez Brotherston, and the stunning make-up work create very much the look of the film's character. However, it is when Murray moves, that you see even more how well the character has been captured. Even during a dance, the awkwardness and innocentness of Edward shows. However, it is also a delight as well to see how the character grows, as the uncommonly gentle man becomes more confident in his surroundings.

Bourne's choreography is all tip-top as you would imagine, created both to perfection and with innovation, and easily getting the Burton style. The Topiary Garden scene, for instance, is pure Burton, despite never having remotely featured within the film. This is coupled with endless, quite beautiful scenes, which culminate with the stunning, Annual Christmas Ball.

It all truly is a delight, to be honest. This is very much Bourne as some of his best, accessible clear, and crisp storytelling. Perhaps the perfect way to have your first experience of a dance show such as this. Beautiful, captivating, delightful, and surprisingly funny, you really should seek this out at Milton Keynes or at some point during its extensive tour.

Visually stunning and superb storytelling through dance, this truly is a must-see show.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday 30th January 2024 at the Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes.

Edward Scissorhands runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 3rd February 2024.

For further details about Milton Keynes see their website at http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

Production photos: Johan Persson
(Images may represent performers different to those mentioned in this review)

Review of Of Mice And Men at Royal & Derngate (Royal), Northampton

Other than, randomly, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The War of the Worlds , John Steinbeck's classic Of Mice and Men is perhaps one of the most familiar of stories to me. I have seen it several times before, and while at school, we studied it, and dissected it like the work of Mr Shakespeare, but with Steinbeck, I got out the other side still liking it. This brand new version from Selladoor Productions, which opened in Canterbury last week, brings a by-the-book presentation of the trials of George and his slow, but incredibly strong friend, Lennie, to the stage. Perhaps, this is its first issue blocking a huge success from this production, in that it rarely does anything brave or different. It's clearly been expertly cast visually, with the hulking form of Matthew Wynn as Lennie, and the diminutive (in comparison) Richard Keightley and Kamran Darabi-Ford as George and Curley respectively. Darabi-Ford especially perfect in his tremendously awkward scenes wit...

Review of Northern Ballet - The Great Gatsby at Milton Keynes Theatre

This production of The Great Gatsby performed by Northern Ballet was my fifth encounter at the theatre of a full ballet production and as before, I happily share my review of the show with nearly zero knowledge of-the-art form and more of a casual theatre-goer. You could say that this is a poor direction to come in on a review, but I would say that casual audience are the ones to review this for. Over the years, Northern Ballet has set quite a high benchmark for ballet productions, and any audience member who is worth their salt as a ballet fan would no doubt have tickets for this new touring version of the 2013 version of The Great Gatsby , lovingly created by David Nixon OBE. So much is Nixon part of the very fabric of this show, that he not only provides the choreography and direction but also the initial scenario and costume design (assisted by Julie Anderson). So, discounting those ballet fans already sitting in the audience, what does this offer for the more casual theatre-goer ...

Review of Flash Festival 2016: Red Inquisition by Memoir Theatre at Castle Hill URC

Red Inquisition from Memoir Theatre evolves from a theatre groups creation of a play based on the 1947 Hollywood blacklist and McCarthyism So that I can get it out the way early on and take this review in a more upbeat direction that Red Inquisition deserves, I am going to get a real bugbear done first. There was a huge negative for me from this production and one that I ended up getting negative vibes from. For me there was far too much video and audio footage in this production. Much of it was while excellently researched, surplus to requirements. The were a couple of occasions especially where we saw material repeated on screen that had already been performed. The show did not need this and for me theatre is not about watching a screen in any case, its about seeing performances. This however does need to be taken as a positive as what I am simply saying is that I wanted more acting from the trio of Daniel Hadjivarnava, Ciara Goldsberry and Jaryd Headley as they work excellently ...

A Small Mind At The Theatre

Search This Blog