REVIEW OF MATTHEW BOURNE'S STAGE SHOW
By Stav Meishar

Update: You can learn more about the show's upcoming North American tour here.

Warning: this review may contain SPOILERS!

On the 27th of January I took a plane all the way from Israel to London, for a four-day trip that the entire reason for was to see Mathew Bourne`s Edward Scissorhands.

Maybe it`s too much, you might say, but I must admit that now, four months after this trip, the memories are still vivid in my mind, and I`m totally sure that it was all worth it.

I got to Sadler`s Wells theatre at the very last moment before the ballet began. I sat in my place, all sweaty and breathing hard from the running, took off my scarf and overcoat and tried to prepare myself mentally to what I was about to see.

I stared at the screen, which was light blue and presented the ballet`s logo, and I couldn`t believe that this was really happening, I really am here, finally, and I`m about to see this amazing ballet of my favorite choreographer. This whole excitement might sound a bit silly to you, I know, but imagine it was so important for me to see it that I actually took a flight for it!

Anyway, this moment, as unbelievable as I felt it was, finally came. The lights dimmed, the screen became transparent and the show began.

There are no words to describe the experience I`ve been through. Truly. But I`ll try anyhow. I`ve seen the entire show with my eyes wide open and a silly smile smeared all over my face. The story is a bit different than the movie`s, the biggest change is a prologue that sort of gives an explanation for the idea behind Edward: the show opens on a backyard where a kid sits and plays with a pair of scissors, when a lightning strikes and he dies. His father mourns him for a long time till he decides to build a new son with scissor hands. To all those who wonder- this change went very naturally with the entire show and the vibe it gave.

Other changes that I liked are that every character has a family (husband and children), including Esmeralda who was married to a priest and had a punk son and a goth girl (hilarious, if you ask me). The music is Danny Elfman`s original music, with a few extras that sounded as though they were written by him but they weren`t.

The dances were amazing, much more theatrical than balletic, and so was the entire production. Mathew Bourne specializes in theatrical dance performances, and it works wonderfully, not a single word is said yet there`s a story with development, complication, a peak, with sugar, spice and everything nice.

The dancers, for me, felt like actors. They were expressive, exciting, they made everything pass to the audience silently, without a single word, which I found amazing.

Especially I want to mention Edward (played by Richard Winsor) and Joyce (Michela Meazza). Edward was absolutely charming, his eyes said everything, it was impossible not to love him and feel for him. Joyce was seductive, obsessive, sexy, she moved with sensuality and was absolutely adorable.

The setting (by Lez Brotherston) was marvelous; the suburb houses were small and colorful, very authentic and terribly cute. Edward`s castle and the cemetery next to it (yes, there`s a cemetery, how Tim Burton of them to add it!) were beautifully gothic. Edward`s barbershop was so cool, with an ``Edwardo the barber`` logo on it. Really, the setting was so highly detailed, it reflected time and weather changes, it was wonderful.

The costumes (also made by Lez Brotherston) were also wonderful; Edward`s costume was so amazing, with the scissors and all, every detail so perfect you just couldn`t stay indifferent. The other costumes were also breath-taking, especially the women`s ball gowns; it was hard to resist.

The lighting was also great, and the choreographies . . . wow. I just love Mathew Bourne`s choreographies so much, especially because it`s not classical ballet with tutu and pointed shoes and all that; this way it`s much easier to relate to it. It`s such a delicate dance, that has so much emotions and expressions, even though there is no talking you can understand everything. You can understand not just the development of the story but also more minor, hidden things like the characters's simple feelings and emotions. The movements, the gestures, everything is just so gentle and professional. God, I just love Mathew Bourne`s works, every time. It was just such a great experience.

When the show was over I had tears in my eyes that soon turned into a river that flowed down my cheeks. I felt like I was a little girl again. When the dancers took a bow, Edward gestured with his hands and snow went down on the audience. Not white confetti or some other bullshit, but real snow, frozen little ice flakes.

The audience went up on their legs, clapping madly, and with them I rose too. I opened my arms and hands to feel the first snow of my life (it never snows in Israel), and I danced in it as though there`s no one there, the music of ``ice dance`` was playing simultaneously in my head and on stage. I know I was smiling like an idiot, and I know everyone could see me weeping like a baby, and I didn't care. I was just so unbelievably happy.

A few final words:
There was something about this show that just felt right, like all the pieces fit into place. It was very different from Tim`s movie, but all the while it felt as though it was the same story but from a different angle. As a Tim Burton fan, I was a bit afraid that the changes would be too much, but they weren`t. The show just went by so smoothly, the changes felt natural and the entire feeling and vibe that this show gave was thrilling. I think it felt this way because it wasn`t just a re-making of Edward Scissorhands and an attempt to stay faithful to Tim`s vision. It was much more. It was a combination of the Tim Burton spirit as we love it- gothic, haunting and yet oh-so-childish and colorful- and the special Mathew Bourne characteristics- beautiful designs, theatrical atmosphere, exaggerated characters, comical situations and touching moments. The combination of these two geniuses brought a result that, I must admit, was spectacular.

Do yourself a favor- just go.

Stav Meishar, Israel.

LINKS:
Edward Scissorhands: The Stage Show



Here are some Edward Scissorhands items from Amazon you might be interested in:
Edward Scissorhands DVD
Edward Scissorhands: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack