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Tag Archives | Matthew Bourne
Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell – Sadler’s Wells and Touring
Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell was reviewed at Sadler’s Wells, London where it continues until 21 June 2025. The tour continues until 4 October 2025. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake: The Next Generation – Milton Keynes Theatre and Touring
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake: The Next Generation was reviewed at the Milton Keynes Theatre where it continues until 19 April. The tour continues until 9 November 2025. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Music Review: Oliver! – 2024 London Cast Recording
Oliver! – 2024 London Cast Recording (First Night Records). Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Please sir, we want some more!
Oliver! – Gielgud Theatre
Oliver! continues at the Gielgud Theatre, London, booking until until 29 March 2026. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ A marriage made in heaven between arguably Charles Dickens’ finest work, indubitably Lionel Bart’s – so many instantly recognisable songs – and the supreme Matthew Bourne as director-choreographer.
Oliver! – Chichester Festival Theatre
Oliver! continues at the Chichester Festival Theatre until 7 September 2024. The production will begin performances at the Gielgud Theatre, London on 14 December 2024. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ This show is not lavish; it’s densely packed and full of good stuff like a hearty pie-and-mash supper.
West End transfer for new production of Oliver!
Cameron Mackintosh and Chichester Festival Theatre’s new production of Lionel Bart’s timeless Oliver! will follow its summer debut in Chichester by transferring to the West End at the end of the year.
Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh re-conceive Oliver! for Chichester Festival Theatre
A major new production of Lionel Bart’s timeless Oliver! will feature in Justin Audibert’s first season as artistic director of Chichester Festival Theatre (CFT).
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – Gielgud Theatre
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends continues at the Gielgud Theatre, London until 6 January 2024. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ What a glorious evening of unalloyed brilliance at the Gielgud with a superb cast headed by Sondheim muse Bernadette Peters and fellow Broadway legend Lea Salonga feasting on the works of the greatest composer of our time in a glittering revue originally conceived as a one-off tribute by entrepreneur Cameron Mackintosh after he left us at 91 with so many rich and profound memories.
Star presenters revealed for Olivier Awards
A star studded line-up of presenters and attendees has been announced for Sunday’s Olivier Awards 2023 at the Royal Albert Hall.
Musicals Mash-Up December 2022
Welcome to Musicals Mash Up in which we catch up with lots of the week’s stories that haven’t yet appeared on the Musical Theatre Review pages. News editor Angela Thomas reports.
Musicals Mash Up: 2-9 October 2022
Welcome to the first instalment of Musicals Mash Up in which we catch up with lots of the week’s stories that haven’t yet appeared on the Musical Theatre Review pages. We hope you approve! News editor Angela Thomas reports New cast for Get Up, Stand Up! final performances The producers of the Olivier Award-winning musical […]
Tenth anniversary revival of Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty – cast and tour dates
Casting and full tour dates have been announced for Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty which will re-awaken in November with a 10th anniversary touring production which will include a return Christmas season at London’s Sadler’s Wells. A mix of original cast members and young generation performers new to the show will be led by Ashley Shaw […]
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends – Sondheim Theatre
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends at the Sondheim Theatre, London (and live-streamed at the Prince Edward Theatre). Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ It must be a record! The fastest time to stop a show after curtain-up came at the Sondheim Theatre when Julia McKenzie stepped on to the stage and softly sung […]
Cast for The Car Man’s Royal Albert Hall season
Will Bozier and Richard Winsor will share the title role when Matthew Bourne’s multi-award-winning dance thriller The Car Man returns for 14 performances only as part of the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th anniversary celebrations this summer. Presented by New Adventures and the Royal Albert Hall, the acclaimed work inspired by Bizet’s Carmen has been re-imagined […]
Tickets for a live screening of the sold-out Sondheim’s Old Friends Gala to be released
Tickets for a live screening at the Prince Edward Theatre of the sold-out Sondheim’s Old Friends Gala are to be released today, 30 March 2022. Priority will be given to the thousands of people who signed up in the hope of securing tickets but couldn’t be accommodated for the performance at the Sondheim Theatre. Booking […]
Love Your Local Theatre 2 for 1 ticket scheme extended into April
The National Lottery backed Love Your Local Theatre campaign has been extended into April with hundreds of new shows included at participating venues nationwide. Organised by UK Theatre, the scheme which was set up to encourage the public to support their local theatres in the aftermath of the pandemic has proved to be a great […]
An all-star cast of Old Friends will celebrate Sondheim at the Sondheim
Cameron Mackintosh has invited many of Stephen Sondheim’s old friends to join him in celebrating his extraordinary talents and legacy at the theatre which was recently rebuilt in Sondheim’s honour. The all-star cast for OLD FRIENDS so far includes Michael Ball, Petula Clark, Judi Dench, Daniel Evans, Bonnie Langford, Adrian Lester, Damian Lewis, Julia Mckenzie, […]
Tenth anniversary return for Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty
Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty will re-awaken later this year with a 10th anniversary touring production which will include a return Christmas season at London’s Sadler’s Wells. Opening at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on 12 November (until 19 November), the popular New Adventures production will visit The Lowry, Salford (22-26 November) before playing a seven-week festive […]
Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! – Milton Keynes Theatre and Touring
Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! continues at Milton Keynes Theatre until 19 February 2022 and then tours until 23 April 2022. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Matthew Bourne’s refreshed version of his first big hit, Nutcracker! storms the stage at Milton Keynes Theatre this week. The sugary sweet adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet is a treat […]
Lez Brotherston to receive an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2022
New Adventures has congratulated associate artist and Tony and Olivier Award-winning designer Lez Brotherston on his Order of the British Empire in The Queen’s New Year Honours 2022 for services to Dance and Theatre. Matthew Bourne said today: “Sending enormous congratulations to Lez Brotherston OBE on this much-deserved honour, from the entire New Adventures Family. As […]
Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! – Sadler’s Wells and Touring
Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! continues at Sadler’s Wells, London until 30 January 2022 and then tours until 23 April 2021. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ This production is like a Christmas tree. It’s evergreen and tinselly. But of course this is Matthew Bourne so it’s also shot through with his characteristic robust […]
Five Questions With: Adam Cooper
Award-winning performer ADAM COOPER plays the intimidating director/choreographer Zach in Curve Leicester’s production of the groundbreaking musical A Chorus Line, directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Ellen Kane (running until 31 December 2021). Having gained acclaim for creating the lead role of the Swan/Stranger in Matthew Bourne’s production of Swan Lake – a role […]
The Midnight Bell – Leicester Curve and Touring
The Midnight Bell was reviewed at Leicester Curve and continues touring until 27 November 2021. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Matthew Bourne’s highly-anticipated premiere graced the Leicester Curve for its thrilling spin (pardon the pun) on Patrick Hamilton’s bittersweet novel The Midnight Bell (or rather, taking elements from his entire trilogy […]
Cast and tour dates for Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker!
New Adventures has announced the full cast and tour dates for the eagerly-awaited 30th anniversary production of Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! which is due to make its Covid-delayed debut at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on 15 November 2021. Featuring a mix of New Adventures favourites and a number of company newcomers, Nutcracker! will star Cordelia Braithwaite […]
Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell to premiere with UK tour
New Adventures has announced the world premiere of Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell at the Cheltenham Everyman on 9 September 2021 at the start of a UK tour of 13 venues. Inspired by the distinctive work of 20th century playwright and novelist Patrick Hamilton and set in London’s Soho, the new production has been created […]
Bourne’s The Car Man to drive into the Royal Albert Hall for a limited run in 2021
Matthew Bourne’s multi-award-winning dance thriller The Car Man will return for 14 performances only as part of the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2021. Presented by New Adventures and the Royal Albert Hall, the acclaimed work inspired by Bizet’s Carmen will be re-imagined for the iconic venue utilising the full expanse of the […]
Little Grasses Crack Through Stone / Checkmate – Adventures in Film
Little Grasses Crack Through Stone is the second of this autumn’s Adventures in Film from Matthew Bourne’s company New Adventures in collaboration with TEA films. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Choreographer Anjali Mehra knew she was looking for a story about three women when she stumbled on Sylvia Plath’s radio play, Three Women: A […]
Nostos – Adventures in Film
Nostos is the first of this autumn’s Adventures in Film from Matthew Bourne’s company New Adventures in collaboration with TEA films. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Adventures in Film comprises three short movies made this year by female choreographers from the Adventures in Motion Pictures dance company with the brief to ‘tell a […]
Dear Evan Hansen, & Juliet, Mary Poppins & Fiddler all winners at the Olivier Awards 2020
The winners of the Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard were announced in a special ITV programme filmed at the London Palladium, and on Official London Theatre’s YouTube channel. The presentation was hosted by Jason Manford, and honoured Ian McKellen with his seventh Olivier Award for his 8oth Birthday tour, as well as lyricist Don Black, […]
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes – Cinema Release
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes is launching in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from 30 September 2020. It was filmed at Sadler’s Wells in January 2020 in partnership with More2Screen. Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Much of the latest tour of this show from the New Adventures has sadly been […]
Rescheduled cinema release for Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes
The delayed cinema release of Matthew Bourne’s double Olivier Award-winning production of The Red Shoes has been rescheduled for next month. Launching in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from 30 September 2020, the seventh New Adventures production to be filmed in partnership with More2Screen was filmed live at Sadler’s Wells in January this year. […]
DVD and Blu-rays of Bourne’s Swan Lake and Romeo + Juliet
Illuminations are releasing the DVD and Blu-rays of Matthew Bourne’s hit 2018 re-imagined version of his innovative Swan Lake and 2019’s critically-acclaimed Romeo + Juliet. Filmed live at Sadler’s Wells during the 2018/2019 tour, the 21st century version of Bourne’s convention-bending version of the classic ballet Swan Lake features Liam Mower as The Prince, with […]
The Lynne and Land Foundation announces grants to four arts organisations close to Gillian Lynne’s heart
Today, on the second anniversary of the death of dearly-loved choreographer Dame Gillian Lynne, The Lynne and Land Foundation announces grants to four arts organisations close to her heart. Grants have been made to The Royal Ballet School, ArtsEd, LAMDA and the Royal Academy of Dance to enable talented young performers reach their full potential […]
Looking forward to The Car Man screening with a new gallery of images
If you’re looking forward to this coming weekend’s screening of Matthew Bourne and New Adventures’ multi-award-winning dance thriller The Car Man on Sky Arts (3 May at 8pm), then why not feast your eyes on this fantastic gallery of images from our official photographer Roy Tan. The Car Man was filmed live at Sadler’s […]
Sky Arts debuts for New Adventures productions
The broadcast premieres of Matthew Bourne’s 2018 re-imagined version of his innovative Swan Lake and last year’s critically acclaimed Romeo and Juliet have been announced as part of New Adventures’ newly-launched programme, A Festival Of Classics. Filmed live at Sadler’s Wells during the 2018/2019 tour, the 21st century version of Bourne’s convention-bending version of the […]
& Juliet leads the Olivier Awards 2020 nominations followed by Fiddler, Dear Evan Hansen and Mary Poppins
New British musical & Juliet topped the list of Olivier Awards 2020 nominations with recognition in nine categories. Once again illustrating the range and diversity of musical theatre currently playing in the West End, the three shows to attract the most Olivier nominations are all genre favourites with Trevor Nunn’s revival of the classic Fiddler […]
Mary Poppins – Prince Edward Theatre
Mary Poppins continues at the Prince Edward Theatre, London. Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ If you accept this techni-colorful, tuneful show on its own terms – rather than wanting it to be something it isn’t – it’s jolly enjoyable. If you don’t, then you’ll be disappointed because the “magic” is pretty […]
Adam Cooper returns to the role of Don Lockwood in Singin’ in the Rain return
Award-winning dancer and choreographer Adam Cooper will re-create his crowd-pleasing performance as Don Lockwood when the acclaimed Chichester Festival Theatre production of Singin’ in the Rain plays a five-week season at Sadler’s Wells next summer. Cooper first played the iconic role at Sadler’s Wells in the 2004 revival of the show before playing Lockwood once […]
Petula Clark and Joseph Millson join the cast of West End’s Mary Poppins
Veteran singing star Petula Clark will return to the West End stage for the first time in decades when she joins the cast of the eagerly-awaited West End return of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins. A multi award-winning recording artist, Clark who famously starred as Maria in The Sound Of Music in the West […]
Royal Ballet star Matthew Ball to debut in Matthew Bourne’s festive Swan Lake
The Royal Ballet’s newest principal dancer Matthew Ball will join New Adventures for the entire London season of Matthew Bourne’s new production of his innovative Swan Lake this Christmas. After making his debut as Prince Siegfried in the Royal Ballet’s traditional Swan Lake, Ball will star in Bourne’s famously all-male version of the classic ballet, […]
Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet to premiere in 2019
New talent will perform alongside seasoned professional dancers when Matthew Bourne’s version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet receives its world premiere next year. Directed and choreographed by Bourne, the re-imagining of the ultimate romantic tragedy will feature established stars alongside the finest emerging male and female talent selected following a nationwide talent search which began […]
Mary Poppins flies home to the West End in 2019 starring Zizi Strallen & Charlie Stemp
Zizi Strallen will take flight once again in the title role of Mary Poppins in 2017 when Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s multi award-winning musical returns to its original West End home next autumn. Fifteen years after the production’s stage premiere, Mary Poppins will return to the Prince Edward Theatre following the departure of Disney’s Aladdin […]
Richard Winsor to lead Saturday Night Fever tour
Former Matthew Bourne principle dancer Richard Winsor will take on the iconic role of Tony Manero in Bill Kenwright’s new touring production of Saturday Night Fever which is due to launch in late August 2018 at the New Wimbledon Theatre. Winsor who starred in some of Bourne’s most celebrated productions including the choreographer’s ground-breaking Swan […]
New Adventures Cinderella returns for Sadler’s Wells season and UK tour
New Adventures has announced casting for the much-anticipated return of Matthew Bourne’s version of Cinderella which will open at Sadler’s Wells in December ahead of a UK tour beginning in January 2018. Marking 20 years since Cinderella first premiered in the West End and becoming New Adventures’ 16th consecutive Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells, the […]
Arlene Phillips unites dance world to raise money for Grenfell fire victims
Award-winning choreographer and TV personality Arlene Phillips will gather together some of the biggest names in dance for a gala performance to raise funds for the survivors of the Grenfell House fire. The Gala For Grenfell at the Adelphi Theatre on Sunday 30 July will unite dancers from across the world in a fundraiser for […]
Matthew Bourne receives Critics’ Circle Award for Outstanding Services to the Arts
Acclaimed choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne added another award to his long list of honours on Friday when he was presented with the Critics’ Circle Award for Outstanding Services to the Arts. Receiving his award from Graham Watts, the chairman of the Dance Section of Critics’ Circle and National Dance Awards, Bourne became only the fourth dance-related […]
Olivier Awards 2017 – Groundhog Day wins Best New Musical, double acting prizes for Dreamgirls
While the biggest story of the Olivier Awards 2017 was the success of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which collected a record-breaking nine Olivier Awards (overtaking Matilda and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time as the most decorated production in the ceremony’s history), there was still plenty to celebrate in the musical […]
New Adventures’ The Red Shoes – full casting
New Adventures has announced full casting for the much-anticipated world premiere of Matthew Bourne’s version of The Red Shoes, due to begin a UK tour at the Plymouth Theatre Royal in November. Cordelia Braithwaite and Katrina Lyndon will join the previously announced Ashley Shaw in the central role of ambitious dancer Victoria Page. All three featured […]
Matthew Bourne and New Adventures to stage The Red Shoes
New Adventures has announced the world premiere of Matthew Bourne’s production of The Red Shoes, opening at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on Monday 21 November with an eight-week Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells from Tuesday 6 December 2016 to Sunday 29 January 2017 (press night is Wednesday 14 December). A beloved fairy-tale and Academy Award-winning movie, The Red Shoes has seduced audiences and […]
