Edward Scissorhands at Sadler's Wells

Edward Scissorhands at Sadler's Wells

29 December, 2008
by: City Spoonfed

Thunder claps, an old woman wobbles around stage and a narrative is projected onto the screen, intensifying the atmosphere and gripping the audience instantly. As the scene continues and cleverly switches between innocent little Edward dancing on stage and more projected narrative, whatever scepticism that might have existed about the production disappears. Every possible doubt about Matthew Bourne's task to revamp a clichéd gothic fairytale dissolves and, yet again, he manages to cast a spell over his audience.

Matthew Bourne and New Adventures' Edward Scissorhands, staged at Sadler's Wells, is a risky venture, considering his past projects, such as the phenomenal Swan Lake and the classic Nutcracker: the plot worried some critics, who perceived it as too 'ordinary' for Bourne's imagination and artistic abilities. But his successful translation of the 1990 Tim Burton movie into a gripping dance spectacle is demonstrated by the fact that this show has had two sell-out runs since 2005.

Edward Scissorhands is set in idyllic 1950s suburban America where every home embodies a stereotype: the family living the American dream, some religious fanatics, a dysfunctional family and a neighbourhood slut. Until, of course, Edward comes along. Our hero is the incomplete product of an inventor who dies before finishing off his creation, leaving him a troubled kid with scissors for hands. Edward, who innocently wanders into the suburban community one day, is warmly and quickly embraced by the neighbourhood. He falls in love with Kim Boggs, the cheerleader daughter of the family that adopts him, as well as turning into the neighbourhood's speciality barber. All is good and dandy until Edward accidentally hurts a member of the neighbourhood and is quickly shunned by the community who then set out to destroy him. The play, though simplistic, is underpinned with several themes - the tolerance and acceptance of society, the values of religion, innocence and love.

The most amazing part of the production is that Bourne portrays every detail of the film accurately and clearly without the use of any dialogue. The difference between the abnormal Edward and the normal, typical suburban neighbourhood is drawn out through colours and dance styles – other than Edward's obvious scissor hands, he is all brown and black with a mechanical grace in his dance; the rest of the neighbourhood is dolled up in bubblegum pastel colours and dance to a funkier ballet style. An exceptional live soundtrack is provided by members of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia. In fact, plot detail is given such importance that even a close sexual encounter between Edward Scissorhands and Joyce Monroe - the neighbourhood slut - is portrayed with the vulgarity it needs as the scene ends with her landing on a vibrating washing machine while Edward flees in confusion.

However, despite the accurate details, some parts of the plot are left ambiguous. As in the movie, it is unclear how exactly Edward's inventor died. The ballet suggests that the inventor dies from the fear of encountering young trick-or-treaters on Halloween which, however cute, is pretty silly. Another ambiguity that lingers with the audience even after they leave is how and why exactly Edward disappeared in the finale. While the movie suggests that he escapes the neighbourhood and lives as a recluse, that doesn't come across in the production. These little hiccups, though, could be attributed to the original script and the limits of ballet rather than a any failing of Bourne or his dancers.

Finally, after the finale and as the curtain is about to drop, Edward mechanically steps back on stage and triggers snow machines in the four corners of the theatre, delighting the audience and placing a cherry atop another one of Matthew Bourne's fantastic creations.

by Alisha Haridasani

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