Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake: The Next Generation Review
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake: The Next Generation / New Adventures, 2024. Photo by Johan Persson.
Written by Jasmine for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Going to see a production known for being the most successful dance theatre production of all time does set your expectations a little bit high, but Matthew Bourne’s newest rendition of Swan Lake is more than ready to meet them.
You would be forgiven for thinking a production which made headlines when it opened just under 30 years ago for the choice to cast all of the swans as male, whilst the Prince, too, remains male, might risk seeming less radical in 2024. However, the central tension of the show, the haunting relationship between the Prince, who has found love nowhere else, and the Swan who is his only escape remains just as powerful. Perhaps now it is less the shock of seeing gay love set the music of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, and more the beauty of seeing masculinity portrayed onstage as equally capable of vulnerability, fluidity, violence and all-encompassing love. It is powerful to see masculinity as multifaceted in a way we are rarely allowed to in an increasingly frightening trend of ‘masculinity’ being seen as power to the detriment of others, or a very set way of behaving that offers men no freedom.
Bourne’s choices in the direction support this at every turn - perhaps most powerful is the way his choreography, whilst tight, makes space for human moments; hands and arms shaking as the Swan and Prince hold each other, audible breaths, the odd gasp or exclamation which comes as a surprise in the speechless production. These moments suddenly make what looks fantastical feel real, bringing home what is at stake for the characters.
The lead performances are of course the clinch which holds this all together; James Lovell’s Prince is endlessly sympathetic - his character looking for love at every turn and never finding a place it fits until he sees the Swan still being the key emotional thread which makes this reworking of the plot ring so true. Opposite him, Harrison Dowzell’s Swan is captivating at every moment; terrifyingly powerful, and unpredictable, as the Stranger who nobody can resist, yet so beautiful as the Swan, where he truly feels like the Prince’s safety. These are not performances to be missed.
Living in the Prince’s world, Nicole Kabera and Katrina Lyndon as the Queen and Girlfriend respectively, bring that world to life as two totally different ends of the emotional availability spectrum. Kabera’s Queen is outwardly cold, but Kabera plays her moments of temptation to be closer to her son in particular so truthfully that we cannot help getting a sense of her as a person who is just doing her best with what she knows. Katrina Lyndon’s performance as the much more affectionate Girlfriend who is always the one normal person in a pompous crowd is wonderfully comic - she brings light to every scene she is in and is the carrier of some of the modern touches Bourne has added, such as her phone going off when they’re in the theatre. Every time she comes onstage you cannot help but smile - yes, she is funny, but she is also endlessly likeable, which can be a delicate line to walk in a character like this one.
This entire ensemble truly feels like a team, everybody brings so much character and humanity to every moment - especially the swans, whose dancing has moments of camp which are a joy to watch, and who are so frightening to see turn. These comic touches are what make Bourne’s productions so lovable, and it speaks to the skill of the actors that they can play both the comedy and horror of the story so interchangeably. Similarly, the orchestra, conducted by Benjamin Pope, flawlessly bring the classic score to life, weaving the familiar with the new moments beautifully.
Lez Brotherston’s set and costume are as iconic as they ever were, with the set in particular, adding to this sense that reality is distorted, and to the feeling that the Prince’s world looms over him on its huge scale. In this production fantasy and madness feel unnervingly interchangeable, so the stretched windows, giant beds which can become royal balconies, and tilted proscenium arches, give you the feeling you’ve fallen into a wonderland.
All I can say now is go, whilst you have the chance because everyone should see this iconic production at least once.
At Sadlers Wells until 26 January 2025 before a UK tour.
★★★★★
