The nutcracker has long been fair game for radical reinterpretation, and perhaps one of the most striking of recent years is matthew bourne s nutcracker his clara lives unhappily in an orphanage in act i, and in act ii her imagination runs. Moving the christmas party from a comfortable middleclass home to a dickensian orphanage whose proprietors starve their wards to spoil their own children, it then shifts to a wonderland where sweets and sugar are a nonetoosubtle metaphor for sexual awakening. Beginning in a tim burtonesquire orphanage, we find clara and her fellow orphans preparing for a christmas party thrown by their evil, although comical, head master and mistress. Well its about growing up and its about first love and these are themes we can all relate to. Dancers perform matthew bourne s nutcracker at sadlers wells, london, 2007. Performed at sadlers wells in london, bourne s seasonal production, full of christmas cheer, enjoyed a lengthy run at the theater as well as a subsequent tour across the u. Bourne s orphanage, run by a vile, sadistic couple and their own two spoilt children, is like something straight out of oliver twist.
Matthew bournes nutcracker, sadlers wells, london the. The characters of sweetieland \u0018 b tchaikovskys nutcracker original story by e. With gorgeous choreography and direction by matthew bourne, this dickensian version of the nutcracker soars from stage to screen. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing matthew bournes nutcracker near you. Dec 01, 2002 it was a year later, 1994, when i realised that what hed seen was a nutcracker courtesy of the livewire imagination of matthew bourne, then a barely known moderndance maverick with a bent for. Bourne s works emphasize theater as much as dance and are influenced by his. The nutcracker is traditionally a celebration of sweetness both the sentimental and saccharine kind and one of the many joys of matthew bourne s reinvention of.
Clara is in an orphanage, the sugar plum fairy is a spoilt little girl princess sugar and sweetieland is a place where greed is king and taste is everything. Tchaikovskys music and bourne s production skills make for a perfect marriage. The contrast between the grey and oppressive scenes at the orphanage are strikingly different from those in the rest of the ballet which brings out the magic of the piece. Sir matthew christopher bourne obe born january 1960 is an english choreographer. The nutcracker rotterdams philharmonisch orkest complete concert in hd duration. It is christmas eve and the orphans are preparing for the annual. Matthew bournes nutcracker at bristol hippodrome theatre. The motion picture with designs and costumes by maurice sendak, bejarts nutcracker. Matthew bourne biography 2017 facts, childhood, wiki. The matthew bourne nutcracker is the first version geared specifically to balletophobes. Nov 08, 20 matthew bournes sleeping beauty is the last of his trilogy of tchaikovsky ballets, which took nearly two decades to complete.
Dec 15, 2011 the nutcracker is traditionally a celebration of sweetness both the sentimental and saccharine kind and one of the many joys of matthew bournes reinvention of the ballet is its allout. The action takes place in the 1960s over a period of nine months in a small italian american community in the fictional midwestern town of harmony, usa. Tchaikovsky richard winsor, dominic north hd 1080p duration. The sweetest of all matthew bourne s christmas treats returns to london for a limited season at sadlers wells theatre. A mysterious stranger arrives in a small town community, leading the locals into greed, sex and murder. Western european stages december, 2004 the ravishing music and christmas setting of tchaikovskys the nutcracker have made it a theatrical staple of the holiday season, and it is hardly surprising that londoners in 2003 could choose among three different major productions of this familiar classic. The battle over, the nutcracker transforms into a human and they head off to sweetieland. Dec 16, 2003 matthew bournes nutcracker is as sweet and camp as christmas itself marius petipa, the nutcracker s original choreographer, apparently considered its libretto tres bon. With more than a passing reference to the musical annie, act i is set in dr dross horrid orphanage. Characters the story the humbug bouncer act one who becomes.
Article discusses choreographer matthew bourne, whose latest work, play without words, has a strong sexual content. Matthew bourne family, childhood, life achievements, facts, wiki and bio of 2017. The matthew bourne nutcracker is the first version geared. Matthew bournes production of tchaikovskys score, nutcracker. Dec 22, 2003 one of his earliest pieces of choreography, matthew bournes nutcracker is also one of his most charming and imaginative. Nutcracker is revealed as the orphanage boy clara has long fancied. Scott ambler, left, and matthew bourne in town and country 1991. It opens in dr dross orphanage for waifs and strays, with claras upbringing far closer to that of oliver twist. Dross orphanage, through a shimmering, iceskating winter wonderland to the scrumptious candy kingdom of sweetieland, influenced by the lavish hollywood musicals of the. One of his earliest pieces of choreography, matthew bourne s nutcracker is also one of his most charming and imaginative. Nov 23, 2004 and if you know the wonderfully horrid squeers family in nicholas nickleby, you may recognize traces of them in the creeps who run bournes nutcracker orphanage.
Matthew bourne s nutcracker opens at sadlers wells, london ec1, tomorrow and runs until january 25. Matthew bournes nutcracker tchaikovskys nutcracker. He was also known for his choreography for popular revivals of classic musicals. Bbc beds, herts and bucks theatre interview with matthew.
A number of changes have been made to the original plot, many of which add a new perspective to the piece. Choreographerlibrettist matthew bourne swan lake, car man has taken tchaikovskys traditional christmas chestnut and placed it firmly inside an artistic nutcracker of his own, squeezing and. The morphing of the nutcracker from stumbling, plastic headed thing, into proud, striding adonis, symbolises claras wish to transform her life. Dec 17, 2011 twenty years on, matthew bourne s dickensian take on tchaikovsky is as joyous as ever, though the ballets structural flaws remain, writes luke jennings. A talented cast and crew combine on this performance, bringing matthew bourne s production of nutcracker. Doctor dross and his wife run the orphanage like a labour camp, with the orphans made to work for their keep whilst the drosss own two children, sugar and fritz. Bournes notable works included swan lake, play without words, my fair lady, the red shoes, and mary poppins. Matthew bourne created this new scenario with martin duncan to rework the traditional christmas story. My very first fulllength production dates from 1992 and remains the most singular interpretation of tchaikovskys masterpiece, back in 2020 to delight a new generation of theatre and dance fans. Of all the shows on offer this christmas season, matthew bournes nutcracker. Matthew bourne s old primary school dance his nutcracker.
Matthew bournes nutcracker 2003 the movie database. Matthew bourne has used his imaginative storytelling abilities to produce this work which would give pleasure to adults as well as those of a younger age. Queen candy matthew bourne s nutcracker is now considered to be a classic and is celebrating its 23rd anniversary the gobstoppers and prince bon bon the marshmallows become. Twenty years on, matthew bournes dickensian take on tchaikovsky is. Tv movie 2003 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Nov 10, 2011 matthew bournes the nutcracker is not a traditional version of this classic christmas ballet. They are particularly relevant to this production, which casts adult performers as a group of very needy young orphans. While matthew bourne tells a moderately engaging story, and fills a theatre with color and life, his contribution to the dance medium is somewhat despairing, like christmas in an orphanage. Matthew bourne s nutcracker promises a fresh serving of the traditonal christmas fare. A holiday mainstay gains an exclamation point and more in matthew bourne s nutcracker. Dec 19, 2007 of all the shows on offer this christmas season, matthew bournes nutcracker. Tchaikovskys favourite in the bleak surroundings of dr drosss orphanage, where a. Matthew bournes nutcracker at bristol hippodrome theatre from tuesday 23 rd february to saturday 27 th february 2021.
Dec 19, 2004 choreographerlibrettist matthew bourne swan lake, car man has taken tchaikovskys traditional christmas chestnut and placed it firmly inside an artistic nutcracker of his own, squeezing and. Matthew bourne, british choreographer and dancer noted for his uniquely updated interpretations of traditional ballet repertoire. With familysized helpings of bourne s trademark wit, pathos and magical fantasy, nutcracker. Feb 16, 2004 director and choreographer matthew bourne has taken this magical classic and changed it. And if you know the wonderfully horrid squeers family in nicholas nickleby, you may recognize traces of them in the creeps who run bourne s nutcracker orphanage. Matthew bournes sleeping beauty the washington post. Dross orphanage, through a shimmering wonderland to the spectacular candy folk of sweetieland.
With alan vincent, saranne curtin, will kemp, etta murfitt. One of his earliest pieces of choreography, matthew bournes nutcracker is also one of his most charming and imaginative. New adventures is delighted to announce the 2020 tour dates for matthew bourne s nutcracker. With scott ambler, emily piercy, saranne curtin, ewan wardrop. Clara, just one orphan among many, rather than adored daughter of two loving.
Interview with choreographer matthew bourne stage the. The drosss come to investigate the disturbance, but the children rebel and with the aid of the nutcracker they overcome and restrain them. Photo by simon annand ive seen several versions of the nutcracker generally perfect, pretty, sparkly affairs but it comes as no surprise that awardwinning choreographer bourne, who takes dance to a new dimension, goes one step further in his take on the classic ballet. Matthew bournes nutcracker characters flashcards quizlet. This article is more than 1 year old walthamstows roger ascham school has a superstar expupil. When she awakes she is back in the orphanage, the boy nutcracker embraces her and together they escape out of the orphanage window. Unafraid of camp or controversy, his company, new adventures, are reviving their gloriously irreverent interpretation of the. Moving the christmas party from a comfortable middleclass home to a dickensian orphanage. The nutcracker breaks open the wall of the orphanage to show clara there is a better world outside. With danny collins, kate lyons, dominic north, zizi strallen. Ross macgibbon, tom jones, mark wells, peter maniura, phil jowett. The longawaited return of new adventures nutcracker. Matthew bournes nutcracker dvd, 2005 for sale online ebay. Matthew bournes the nutcracker by sophie b on prezi.
Tchaikovskys muchloved score and olivier awardwinning designer anthony wards stunning sets and costumes with sizzling choreography. Most disagree the action peters out in the first half, displaced by pure spectacle. What is the plot of matthew bournes the nutcracker answers. Matthew bournes sleeping beauty is the last of his trilogy of tchaikovsky ballets, which took nearly two decades to complete. The sweetest of all matthew bourne s treats returns for the first time in nine years.
He has received multiple awards and award nominations, including the laurence olivier award, tony award and drama desk award, and he has also received several honorary doctorates of arts from uk. It follows claras journey from christmas eve at dr. This nutcracker however, i saw he changed the setting to an orphanage but then had trouble following the story as it progressed. The drosselmeyer figure is turned into dr dross who runs the orphanage.
Matthew bourne, martin duncan, anthony ward set and. Matthew bournes ballet clips edward scissorhands youtube. Matthew bourne, in full sir matthew bourne, born january, 1960, hackney, london, england, british choreographer and dancer noted for his uniquely updated interpretations of traditional ballet repertoire. Bourne s reinvention moves the story from the stahlbaums grand house to dr dross orphanage where clara is whisked away from her bleak and lonely life to sweetie land. He has received multiple awards and award nominations, including the laurence olivier award, tony award and drama desk award, and he has also received several honorary doctorates of arts from uk universities. Moving the christmas party from a comfortable middleclass home to a dickensian orphanage whose proprietors starve their wards to spoil their own children, it then shifts to a wonderland where sweets and sugar are a nonetoo. The motion picture with designs and costumes by maurice sendak, bejarts nutcracker and mark morris the hard nut. Dross orphanage, through a shimmering, iceskating winter wonderland to the scrumptious candy kingdom of sweetieland, influenced by the lavish hollywood musicals of the 1930s. Moving the christmas party from a comfortable middleclass home to a dickensian orphanage whose proprietors starve their wards to spoil their own children, it then shifts to a wonderland where sweets and sugar are a nonetoosubtle. Chris nash his kindness towards nondancers made him the ideal leader of lord of the flies for new adventures in 2011. If you crave a classical nutcracker the royal ballet production may serve you well, while the coliseum offers a production that successfully combines dynamism with a degree of innovation. The production subtitled a gothic romance runs at the. This nutcracker however, i saw he changed the setting to an orphanage but.
He was also known for his choreography for popular revivals of classic musicals bourne entered the world of dance relatively late. The additions he makes to classical ballet i enjoyed. His work includes contemporary dance and dance theatre. But its matthew bournes production, that while exciting, delightful and entertaining in equal measure, also offers the thrill of the truly alternative. Matthew bourne, as you may have heard, is the most successful choreographer alive.
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