8:00am Friday 5th March 2010
IF there’s one thing everyone knows about Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, it is that it features a flock of male swans, but, while the corps de ballet is undoubtedly one of the most visually arresting elements of the work, it is by no means the only one.
The deftly drawn opening scenes eloquently demonstrate the stultifyingly repetitive nature of The Prince’s life, punctured by the arrival of the (unwelcome) Girlfriend, played with enormous glee by Madelaine Brennan - one of the most memorable moments is her outrageously indecorous behaviour in the royal box as The Queen, performed with perfectly judged grandeur by Nina Goldman, and her son attend a ballet, itself a wonderfully witty comic vignette.
When, in despair, The Prince (Dominic North) heads for the lake to end his life, The Swan, a powerful performance by Jonathan Ollivier, opens up other possibilities. But The Stranger, The Swan’s alter ego, ensures that there’s no happy ending as, one by one, he seduces every foreign princess at The Royal Ball in before exerting his menacing power over The Queen. This ultimate betrayal is the final straw that sends The Prince reeling off into madness and on towards death.
But the best is saved for last as The Prince’s Bedroom is invaded by swans in a truly spectacular and emotionally charged scene, a scene in which it’s almost possible to believe the swans are real, so cleverly choreographed is every movement as they fly onto the giant bed dominating the stage.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake turns 15 this year, but there is no sign of tiredness here - it is energetic, inventive and witty and offers a sumptuous feast for the eyes, both in the set and costumes, for which designer Lez Brotherston has been garlanded with awards. Swan Lake runs until Saturday at Wales Millennium Centre. To book, call 029 2063 6464 or visit wmc.org.uk
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