The audience at the full Theatre Royal Plymouth eagerly anticipated tonights performance of Matthew Bournes new interpretation of the age old fairytale Sleeping Beauty and from the very start they were not to be disappointed.
The story is described on the curtain, cleverly lit to look like the front cover of every fairytale book you’ve ever read. The immortal lines ‘once upon a time…’ Leading you into the mythical world. The familiarity of the royal couple not being blessed with a child of their own introduced along with the information that they look to the dark fairy Carabosse to help them in this matter and the suggestion that she may have stolen a child of the forest.
We then find ourselves in 1890 in the nursery of Princess Aurora, the first surprise of the evening, it would be wrong to describe but the skill of the puppeteer announced that this was to be a very different version of this classic ballet.
Tchaikovsky’s beautiful music was wonderfully interpreted throughout but never more acutely than in the opening scene when the good fairies led by Count (there is a clue in this name) Lilac danced by Christopher Marney were bestowing their gifts upon the baby Princess Aurora.
More surprises await the audience in this opening scene as the mechanical aids enabled the fairies to appear to glide and fly.
As one would expect in any Bourne production the staging, scenery and costumes are pristine, detailed and dramatic. The set changes happened with ease and continuity and the costume changes must have happened with great speed backstage time and again but appeared flawless to the audience.
Although the story is recognisable the interpretation Bourne brings to it from his research and imagination (including the introduction of a vampire) gives the audience a fresh look. During the after show talk one of the audience members said it made her concentrate and listen to the music afresh and I would echo this.
When Aurora comes of age in 1911 she does indeed prick her finger and falls into the predicted 100 years sleep. This allows Bourne to bring the wake up in Act three right up to date as it is now 2011 and we find ourselves watching young people complete with mobile phones and hoodies. The imaginative way in which Leo, Aurora’s childhood sweetheart has survived the hundred years becomes apparent and leads to a scene which is delicate and touching between Aurora and him.
Again in the after show talk we were told that this was the first time this particular company had danced the roles after just six weeks of rehearsal time this was hard to believe as we had just witnessed the complicated routines perfectly executed.
The role of Aurora was danced by the slight Ashley Shaw who was spun twisted and lifted throughout with ease and grace by her love interest Leo danced by Christopher Trenfield and Carabosse/Carradoc danced by Adam Maskell. Her skill and dance interpretation were wonderful and the feeling that she may indeed have started life as a child of the forest runs throughout, she is something of a free spirit preferring throughout to dance barefoot.
Her outstanding performance and indeed that of the whole cast was well and truly appreciated by the audience who stood and applauded for a full five minutes at the end of the performance.