Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake: Next Generation
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin
★★★★★
The cast of Matthew Bourne‘s Swan Lake interpret this show with the energy of fledgling dancers creating something for the first time, yet with the expert precision of sage performers.
Sparks fly from the moment the prince reaches out to the queen for unrequited affection until the end when he tangles with the swan/stranger. In between are a humorous ballet pastiche, a sultry nightclub foray and the now infamous ritual-like dances for male swans. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this ballet has earned its recognition as one of the most beloved Swan Lake interpretations of all time.
Bourne has created a production that is very unlike the traditional Swan Lake and has become so familiar to dance audiences that many current company members decided to pursue dance as a career after watching the show when they were young. In turn, the cast brings an irrepressible energy to the stage.
Dublin native Stephen Murray dances a flawless interpretation of the prince, developing from an earnest yet downcast son to a hopeful young man who discovers another side of himself when encountering a mysterious swan (the superb Jackson Fisch) during a fraught evening at a park.
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The prince’s discovery unleashes an onslaught of male swans who bound across the stage in relentless leaps and lunges, punctuated with exquisitely timed wrist flicks and knee swivels. All of this convinces the prince he might be able to break free of the royal confines and express a part of himself that longs for acceptance.
His hopes are dashed later at the palace ball when the swan, appearing as a stranger, makes a grand entrance. The stranger seduces the queen (an infallible Katrina Lydon) in a nod to the traditional Swan Lake where the white swan Odette deceptively reappears as the black swan, Odile. Here the stranger takes turns tantalising every female in the room, at the same time, driving the prince mad.
One of the joys of Bourne’s company, New Adventures, is its ensemble cast, and Jade Copas, another dancer from Ireland, dazzles as she introduces the men in the ballroom scene.
Bourne has a gift for syncopation in his choreography that combines craftsmanship with theatricality and a touch of whimsy, such as the maids mechanically waving their upturned elbows or the silhouetted dancers in the nightclub swaying slightly offbeat.
His ability to then inject humour while consistently maintaining such an impressive level of artistry has helped him build a decades-old reputation for successfully marrying commercial sensibilities with classical dance.
He also has assembled a team of collaborators whose reputations have grown hand in hand with the company’s, including set and costume designer Lez Brotherston and sound designer Ken Hampton.
But perhaps his biggest accomplishment is the ability to lead a company whose dancers have worked together for years yet perform on a Tuesday night in Dublin with the same intensity as an opening night on Broadway.
As distressing as it feels to watch the prince and his beloved swan suffer through their dramatic demise at the end of this show, there is satisfaction in the way Bourne does it. There’s a flurry of drama punctuated with moments of stillness, engulfed by climactic music against a set that feels like its own character in how it morphs and comes to life.
But mostly Bourne ignites the talent of each performer until they exude a sizzling energy that transcends dance steps, musical counts and character portrayals. He unearths their artistry and creates an alchemy that is mighty, and while this kind of magic may not happen during every performance, if even a fraction of it shines through on the show’s pearl anniversary tour, bring on the next 30 years.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake: Next Generation is at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, as part of Dublin Dance Festival, until Saturday, May 24th
