Illuminations

The Red Shoes

The Red Shoes dance production. Directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne in 2019 at Sadler’s Wells in London. Music by Bernard Herrmann orchestrated by Terry Davies. Stars Ashley Shaw (Victoria Page), Adam Cooper (Boris Lermontov), Dominic North (Julian Craster), Liam Mower (Ivan Boleslawsky), Michela Meazza (Irina Boronskaya), and Glenn Graham (Grisha Ljubov). Other dancers from New Adventures are: Stephanie Billers, Ben Brown, João Carolino, Reece Causton, Harrison Dowzell, Jackson Fisch, Rose Goddard, Bryony Harrison, Daisy May Kemp, Kate Lyons, and Danny Reubens. Brett Morris conducts the New Adventures Orchestra. Set and costume design by Lez Brotherston; lighting design by Paule Constable; sound design by Paul Groothuis; projection design by Duncan McLean; associate artistic director was Etta Murfitt; assistant choreography by Neil Westmoreland; associate lighting director was Rob Casey. Directed for TV by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2021, disc has LPCM stereo sound. Grade: A

The Red Shoes story from Hans Christian Anderson is about a poor girl whose only joy was a pair of red shoes that let her dance. She was shamed . . .

Read More

Romeo + Juliet

Romeo + Juliet dance production. Music by Prokofiev as orchestrated by Terry Davies. Directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne. Performed 2019 at Sadler’s Wells, London. Stars Paris Fitzpatrick (Romeo), Cordelia Braithwaite (Juliet), Dan Wright (Tybalt), Ben Brown (Mercutio), Jackson Fisch (Balthasar), Harrison Dowzell (Benvolio), Hannah Mason (Frenchie), Daisy May Kemp (Rev. Bernadette Laurence/Mrs. Montague/Nurse), and Matt Petty (Senator Montague/Guard/Orderly) as well as company members Tanisha Addicott, Callum Bowman, Alexander Fadayiro, Cameron Flynn, Emily Galvin, Ashton Hall, Bryony Harrison, Monique Jonas, Hannah Kremer, Sharol Mackenzie, Mark Samaras, Christopher Thomas, Roisin Whelan, and Janacek Wood. Brett Morris conducts the New Adventures Orchestra in chamber mode with 15 or so musicians, many playing multiple instruments. Set and costume design by Lez Brotherston; lighting design by Paule Constable; sound design by Paul Groothius; resident director was Neil Westmoreland; rehearsal director was Paul Smethurst. Young Associates working with artistic team were Arielle Smith (choreography), Elin Steele (set and costume design), Ali Hunter (lighting), Rachel Goldberg (sound design), Alexander Ling (orchestration), and Ellie Slorach (conducting). Directed for TV by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2020. Grade: B+

This latest production from Matthew Bourne bears only a slight resemblance (mostly a few proper names) to the Romeo legend and the Shakespeare play.

Read More

The Car Man

The Car Man dance production. Music arranged by Terry Davies after the Rodion Shchedrin Carmen Suite and other sources. Book and choreography by Matthew Bourne. This is the 2015 revival with staging by Etta Murfit at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London (which updated the earlier version of the show published in DVD). Stars Christopher Trenfield (Luca), Zizi Strallen (Lana), Dominic North (Angelo), Kate Lyons (Rita), Alan Vincent (Dino) and the following residents of Harmony, USA: Cordelia Braithwaite, Tom Clark, Danny Collins, Pia Driver, Glenn Graham, Nicole Kabera, Katrina Lyndon, Andrew Monaghan, Leon Moran, Danny Reubens, Katie Webb, and Daniel Wright. Set and costume design by Lez Brotherston; lighting design by Chris Davey; sound design by Paul Groothius. Directed for TV by Ross MacGibbon. Released 2017, disc has 48/24 LPCM stereo sound. Grade: B+

The Carmen music gets this show off to a fast start, but the story

Read More

Cinderella

Cinderella dance show. Music by Sergei Prokofiev especially arranged, conducted by Brett Morris, and recorded for this production. New/Adventures Dance Company was choreographed and directed by Matthew Bourne with video recorded 2017 at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London. Stars Ashley Shaw (Cinderella), Andrew Monaghan (The Pilot), Liam Mower (The Angel), Michela Meazza (The Stepmother), Alan Vincent (The Father), Stephanie Billers (A Stepsister), Nicole Kabera (A Stepsister), Jackson Fisch (A Stepbrother), Daniel Wright (A Stepbrother), and Stephen Murray (A Stepbrother). Also features dancers Reece Causton, Danny Reubens, Sophia Hurdley, Katie Webb, Dominic North, Glenn Graham, Jack Jones, Jamie McDonald, João Carolino, and Kate Lyons. Set and costume design by Lez Brotherston; lighting design by Neil Austin; sound design (music plus ambient sounds from WW II events) by Paul Groothuis; production design by Duncan McLean; lighting direction by Bernie Davis; sound by Mike Hatch; associate artistic director was Etta Murfitt; resident director was Neil Westmoreland. Directed for TV by Ross MacGibbon; produced by Lucie Conrad. There is no keepcase booklet, but the bonus extras are interesting and heartfelt. Released 2018, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A

Read More