In the shadow of the Eurovision weekend just past and the increasingly vitriolic criticism of the event, due to the “freaks on display” this year, New Adventures adaptation of this classic tale of difference and acceptance is just as apt, if not more so, than when it initially premiered in 2005 and was revived in 2014.
Matthew Bourne’s efficiency for storytelling through movement is showcased perfectly here and cleverly adapted by Caroline Thompson from her original screenplay for the 1990 Tim Burton film. Rather than being tied down by its celluloid counterpart, the attention focuses on capturing the spirit of the story, allowing Bourne’s signature style of contemporary ballet to convey the gothic horror come suburban drama, without the need for any words.
Evoking an array of emotions in a series of twenty scenes across two acts, ranging from intimate solos to bustling full company numbers, we watch as Edward is helped by Good Samaritan Peg Boggs who sees beyond his appendages and welcomes him into her home.
There is nothing subtle about Lez Brotherston’s colourful designs, successfully showcasing stereotypes as a vista of cutout, perfectly arranged houses jauntily present characters from the town of Hope Springs - from the swaggering preppy high school kids to the stiff religious zealots and everyone in between. There is so much happening onstage that no matter where your eye focuses, there’s a fully realised narrative being visually presented, echoing the confusion for Edward in this new world as he tries to learn the choreography of suburbia and goes from something to be feared, to curiosity and sensation, then eventual scapegoat.
Terry Davies’s music, based on themes from Danny Elfman’s film score, adds pathos to each scene and truly shines in the two duets between Edward and Kim as they get to express emotion that perfectly waltzes to the edge of feeling. A fantasy sequence, complete with dancing topiary, enchants while their later partnership uses clever choreography to have Kim embraced by Edward’s blades without harm, including a beautiful lift onto his shoulders without tripping into sentimentality.
The enjoyment here is not in the retelling but in the showing, and it’s only through viewing the creations of Bourne that you’ll know if they speak to you. This universal tale of first impressions, judgement and looking beyond different to see kindness and innocence, should speak volumes to everyone in our current scaremongering and divided world, especially when showcased by Bourne’s inventive direction and choreography, and delivered by a stellar cast.