If you’re of the mind that ballet is not for you, now’s the time to think again.
If you’ve never quite ‘got’ classical music, try this for size.
If you don’t see the point of retelling a fairy tale, just let’s stop you in your tracks right now!
Matthew Bourne does ballet differently. Tutus are in short supply, plot and character are as important as entrechats and pirouettes and, in collaboration with his long-standing designer Lez Brotherston, the productions are stunning to look at.
This revival of Sleeping Beauty, last seen at Milton Keynes Theatre three years ago, has won the hearts of thousands – many of them people who never imagined that they would enjoy ballet - and smashed box office records across the UK and the USA since its premiere.
The story is familiar; a royal couple asks for help to conceive a child from Carabosse, the Dark Fairy. Bad move. When their little girl is born, gratitude is in short supply, so Carabosse gets her own back - big time. She casts a spell that hangs like a dark cloud over the Princess Aurora. Come the big bash on her 21st birthday, Aurora gets a short, sharp shock. But thank goodness for the intervention of a good fairy who at least can employ some damage limitation techniques.
Tchaikovsky’s score is an extraordinary mix of glorious sweeping waltz tunes and something that sounds curiously like contemporary techno Garage, reflecting the 100 year leap in time that Aurora experiences; from the halcyon days of the late Edwardian era to right bang up to date.
With the help of sumptuous sets and costumes, evocative lighting, masterly storytelling and an ensemble cast who are all stars in their own right, Matthew Bourne creates a truly magical experience whether it’s your first or forty-first time at the ballet.
Sleeping Beauty is at the Milton Keynes Theatre Tuesday 26th until Saturday 30th January 2016
To book your tickets for Sleeping Beauty now call 0844 871 7652 or Book Online Here
