Edward Scissorhands

Posted by Chris Gregg at Wednesday, 31 January 2024 11:43

Matthew Bourne has developed a reputation as a theatrical wizard, reinventing classic ballets and giving his unique creative spin to classic stories and this week he brings his iconic dance production of Edward Scissorhands back to Milton Keynes. Originally conceived in 2005, it sold out theatres around the world and has been brought back for its first UK tour in 9 years. It's a heartwarming story all about difference and acceptance which is as relevant as ever in 2024.

Tim Burton's classic movie is perfectly suited for this very visual style of storytelling with a haunting soundtrack from Danny Elfman and Terry Davies and a unique look with the clever use of projections to create three dimensional snowfall, showers of snipped up paper and graphics in front of the performers in front of the backdrop of the town of Hope Springs in the form of lots of identical houses with an 'illustrated' look.

‘In a castle high on a hill lives Edward; a boy created by an eccentric inventor. When his creator dies, he is left alone and unfinished with only scissors for hands until a kindly townswoman invites him to live with her suburban family. Can Edward find his place in the well-meaning community which struggles to see past his curious appearance to the innocence and gentleness within?’

The characters are formed from six nuclear families, this version for the first time includes one with same sex parents, and with so many characters on stage, often all acting out their own mini-storylines, there's so much going on, you could see this show over and over and always spot something new. Of course, it includes all the iconic moments like Edward's incredible topiary and hairdressing skills with perfect comedic timing as well as the love story between Edward and Kim, the daughter of Peg Boggs who touchingly takes him in.

Stephen Murray is breathtaking as Edward Scissorhands, capturing his innocence and vulnerability as he tries to understand the world. The ensemble cast are great with each character given their own distinct personality.But at the heart of the show, is of course the dancing and this really is a feast for the eyes with memorable moments including Edward's dance with Kim surrounded by dancing topiary and the gothic frankenstein-esque sequence as his father brings him back to life.

Edward Scissorhands will star Liam Mower and Stephen Murray as Edward Scissorhands, with Katrina Lyndon and Ashley Shaw as Kim Boggs. Featuring Kerry Biggin, Sophia Hurdley, Etta Murfitt and Mami Tomotani as Peg Boggs and Glenn Graham and Dominic North as Bill Boggs. Benjamin Barlow Bazeley and Ben Brown will play Jim Upton with Stephanie Billers, Nicole Kabera and Ashley Shaw as Joyce Monroe and James Lovell, Luke Murphy and Reece Causton as her husband, George.

Completing the cast are Andrew Ashton, Jade Copas, Jamie Duncan-Campbell, Anna Maria de Freitas, Perreira de Jesus Franque, Molly Shaw-Downie, Megan Ferguson, Savannah Ffrench, Christina Gibbs, Aristide Lyons, Xholindi Muci, Barnaby Quarendon, Edwin Ray, Holly Saw, Nikolas Shikkis, Xavier Andriambolanoro Sotiya (this year’s New Adventures Emerging Artist) and Carrie Willis.

Matthew Bourne says “Never has the story of Edward Scissorhands been more timely. In an era when uniqueness and identity is both celebrated and reviled, its story of how we treat anyone who appears to be different in our communities is as poignant and relevant as when my dear friend Caroline Thompson wrote the screenplay for Tim Burton’s legendary movie fable some 33 years ago. In fact, New Adventures is the only company in the world that performs Edward Scissorhands as a theatrical spectacle. One of the joys of our show is the generational casting. This gives us a wonderful opportunity to support younger dancers, many of whom have been nurtured in our talent development programmes, but also to work, once again, with many former New Adventures stars, in the roles of the Mums and Dads! New Adventures truly is a family and never more so than in this production. I’m thrilled to welcome “Edward” back for our 2023/4 season to spread his message of joy, creativity and acceptance”.

This is a perfect introduction to ballet and dance as well as a great show for the whole family to enjoy. It mesmerizes with exquisitely defined characters, superb dancing, and enchanting magical projections, creating a brilliant and immersive theatrical experience.