Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures at the Royal & Derngate Review

Reviewed by Amanda Browne

On Monday 10 April I took my mum with me to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate theatre to review Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures. It’s a lovely theatre, easy to find, and with good parking within a short walk of the theatre. We had good seats and took to them in anticipation. I had heard much about Matthew Bourne and was eager to see the production.

Early Adventures is in the final days of a UK wide run, it is a triple bill of some of Matthew Bourne’s early works, in his own words a nostalgic look back at his early productions. The audience were thrilled just before the show started to be told Matthew Bourne himself was in the audience and fresh from winning not one but TWO Olivier awards the previous evening, would take a Question and Answer session at the end of the production. A murmur or excitement went around the theatre.

The dancers were exquisite, graceful and had the most expressive faces and beautiful shapes with their hands. So light on their feet they graced the stage with such presence. I am intrigued with ballet, although this was not quite what I was expecting, in the sense of the ballet I was expecting.

The sets were amazing and set the tone of the period very well for each part of the show. There were three very different parts to the show, Watch with Mother (seen but not heard), Town and Country (lie back and think of England) and the Infernal Galop (a French dance with English Subtitles). The costumes fitted with each period and reflected the times they were set in. There were three women and six men all working seamlessly in an amazing display of dance.

At one point they were all flashing across the stage on scooters!! I’m still very new to this genre and I struggle to unravel the story being told in ballet, certainly there was a very adult risqué theme at points, which I’m not sure I found entertaining. Overall, I’m still unsure, although find watching fascinating, I need to educate myself somewhat more before I watch another.

The personal appearance and Q&A at the end was a nice touch and for someone that’s been in the business some 30 years was lovely to hear Matthew Bourne himself speak and explain some background on his works. There are two more nights at the Royal & Derngate plus a matinee Wednesday, catch the show if you can.

Rating: 4/5

Tickets cost from £13 to £30 (booking/transaction fee may apply).

Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures is at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton from 10-12 April 2017, for more information or to book tickets visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk or call the box office on 01604 624811.

Royal & Derngate, Guildhall Road, Northampton, NN1 1DP | 01604 624811