By my reckoning, this is the eighth time of seeing Matthew Bourne’s groundbreaking Swan Lake at a theatre, which doesn’t include the countless times we’ve watched the DVD. It’s unquestionably the single most significant dance production I’ve ever seen, and I would probably guess would be in my top ten stage experiences of all time. So you know already, gentle reader, that it’s five stars from me without scrolling to the end.
But this new production has a few notable changes. It’s styled as Swan Lake The Next Generation because, as Matthew Bourne points out in his programme note, he “wanted to reflect on what [this production] could mean for the dancers and audiences of the future… this is the first revival of Swan Lake where all our principal dancers have come up through the ranks of New Adventures on other productions, as we nurture their talents as leading artists ready to take on such iconic and demanding roles.”
But this isn’t the only change from previous productions. Over the years subtle alterations to the choreography and presentation have developed; the disco scene is performed at a more hectic pace than in the earlier days and some of its (much loved I have to say) characters have moved on; we no longer have the character of the Young Prince in the opening scenes –it’s the same Prince all the way through now. Subtle changes to the final scene choreography make it (for me at least) less creepy when the swans emerge from the Prince’s bed. That said, the array of mini-dramas exposed amongst the guests at the Royal ball are performed with possibly more zest than ever before, bringing a number of fascinating extra insights to that scene.
But the most compelling change with this production is (finally!) the addition of a live orchestra. It’s most welcome to see this change at a time when live music in the theatre (particularly in dance) is fighting for its existence (Northern Ballet take note) and Benjamin Pope’s 25-musician-strong orchestra transforms the experience. Not only does the live orchestra create more possibilities for an individual moment to be performed at a slightly different pace depending on the reactions of the audience, the playing can also adapt to the different strengths of and interpretations by the various dancers. Whatever the reasons, it certainly adds a new and exciting dimension to the work as a whole.
The roles are all shared by between two and four individual dancers, which brings with it its own creative and practical benefits. It goes without saying that technically they’re all outstanding, and it’s a total masterclass in the contemporary ballet style for which Matthew Bourne is rightly praised. At the performance we saw, the Prince was danced by Leonardo McCorkindale, a very bright-eyed and open-faced dancer who gave us perhaps a more optimistic and positive characterisation than I have seen before; this works extremely well in Act Two, when the Prince genuinely finds his true self in partnership with the Swan.
Our Swan/Stranger was danced by Jackson Fisch, who gave us a powerful, charismatic and, yes, loving Swan as well as a delightfully insolent Stranger. Our Queen was Nicole Kabera, and the Girlfriend Katrina Lyndon, precisely the same casting as when we last saw the show in 2018, and they still bring the same superb characterisations – the man-hungry, heartless queen and the common-as-muck girlfriend who despises getting caught up in the Royal household’s duplicitous scheming. And our Private Secretary was danced by James Lovell, an extremely believable characterisation, delighting in leading that wonderfully louche dance at the ball with that mischievously beckoning hand at the hip.
At last glance the entire run at Sadler’s Wells has sold out, so that tells its own story of how successful this show is. But don’t worry if you haven’t seen it, this production is never going to go away, and indeed is touring the UK and Ireland until June. And of course, it is a must-see!
Five Alive, Let Dance Thrive!