Funky fairies, a puppet baby, vampires and a travelator on which dancers glide in and out of Lez Brotherston’s sumptuous set. Just all in a day’s work for the spectacular Matthew Bourne’s reimagining of classic ballet Sleeping Beauty as a gothic, supernatural romance.
The story follows Queen Eleanor and King Benedict and their yearning for a child they can’t have – a miracle that’s granted by the dark fairy Carabosse. When they aren’t sufficiently grateful for the baby (Aurora) Caraboose dooms her to sleep for 100 years after pricking her finger on a poisoned black rose on her 21st birthday.
But how is the love of Aurora’s life – Leo, the Royal gamekeeper – going to kiss her awake when in 100 years, he’ll be long gone? A kiss from a vampire should do the trick, granting him immortality….
Bear with me – it’ll all make complete, wonderful and outlandish sense when you watch the quirky story unfold in all its magnificence.
The fairytale begins in 1890, when Aurora – a delightful puppet baby expertly controlled by her shadowy puppeteers – is running circles round her nanny. She steals the hearts of, and laughs from, the audience as she climbs the curtains and crawls backwards in time to the beat of the music, away from everyone’s grip.
Eventually tucked up safely in her bed, Aurora grants an audience to a group of outlandish gothic fairies as they each entertain her with their moves.
From the nursery we’re transported through time to see Aurora blossom into a playful, young woman, sneaking her secret love Leo into her bedroom and hiding out with him at garden parties where every other man in the picture try to make their move.
Ashley Shaw is an absolutely gorgeous Aurora. Grace personified, she brings a spirited sense to her dance – all of which makes her subsequent puppet-like subjection at the hands of Caradoc (son of Carabosse, out to avenge his mother’s death) particularly poignant.
Her chemistry with Leo (Andrew Mongahan) is beautiful – there’s lighthearted liveliness, frisky flirtatiousness but overall a sense of true love and trust. The moments when she runs into mid-air only to be caught effortlessly each time by her lover is truly a delight to see.
Ben Brown as Carabosse and Caradoc is a powerful villain, commanding the stage with his wile and guile. Paris Fitzpatrick as Count Lilac, King of the Fairies and his vampish fairies were all wonderfully exceptional – flouncing and flinging, sweeping and stretching their bodies around the stage beautifully. We particularly liked the energetic unusual solo by Autumnus, the Fairy of Plenty (Enrique Ngbokota).
We were absolutely blown away by this production. And whether or not you’re a fan of ballet or dance, if you love a great, dramatic show, with humour wit, wonder and excitement, all enhanced by Tchaikovsky’s magical score, you should really give it a go. It’s not ballet as you might think it’ll be. It’s Bourne-style brilliance.
Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty is on at the Wales Millennium Centre until 4th February. Book tickets here
Photos by Johan Persson