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Sir Matthew Bourne's Early Adventures Tour - 2017


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Matt Bourne's Early Adventures triple bill opened at Cambridge Corn Exchange last night - never my favourite venue - and runs till Saturday.  Despite leaving home early, general Doris-related traffic mayhem in the area meant we still arrived just after the start, but were allowed to slip in halfway through the first item.  With two pieces from 1991 and another from 1989, but clearly looking well back into the first half of the 20th century, the cast of 6 chaps and 3 girls gave an engaging and witty set of performances from Sir Matt's early rep, before his Swan Lake and all that followed it.  Marking 30 years of his New Adventures company, I wonder if he could have imagined back in 1987 that he'd have two companies touring today around the UK?

 

These early pieces are a world away from his Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Red Shoes but they have charm and fun in abundance.  Just the thing at the end of Doris Day - and the traffic had all melted away by going-home time.

 

PS: A post-show Q&A session with Sir Matt and dancers had to be cancelled thanks to no trains running to Cambridge from London.  The staff didn't know, but perhaps that might move to tonight or tomorrow?

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So glad you enjoyed this, Ian .... I caught a glimpse of it in Dartford earlier this week ... and was thoroughly enchanted ... Indeed, more so than I last saw a very similar programme (with one piece added to the whole) at SW.  

 

Only wish they could do it with one - rather than two - intervals and one pause.  It would be grand to have Town & Country together methinks.  Why not have one interval and two pauses.  Very 'Pinterean' that ... and certainly no less British.  Loved the French follie; delightfully twee.   :)   

Edited by Bruce Wall
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can anyone who has seen this production tell me anything about the music level, please. My husband suffers from tinnitus which has been getting worse and he is very wary of going to productions where the music may be loud and especially if it is taped. I assume this music is taped so is it loud; louder than an orchestra? 

I have heard that at least some of the music for Red Shoes is loud and amplified so I may have to re-sell his ticket for the Lowry Saturday matinee. Could anyone please comment on the music level for this production also. many thanks.

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I find the very soft cone shaped ear plugs you can get work well in theatres and cinema for me where sound is generally far too loud as to be healthy. It takes a level of tinnyness out too and makes for a much rounder sound. I have a constant ringing in my ears too that gets aggravated if sound in such places is too loud. I'd definitely try the plugs rather than miss the show.

I don't the recall the music at Red Shoes being too bad.

Edited by Don Q Fan
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Thanks very much for this, everyone. Terry seldom goes out in public without his ear plugs and never to the theatre/cinema. I'll show him the responses and see what he thinks. Thanks for the tip about the Lowry, Janet. it's worth knowing.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I was in the gorgeous Grand Theatre in Blackpool last night to see Early Adventures.

 

It really is a delightful fun evening.  Although I would have enjoyed to see Spitfire again, I loved all 4 pieces on show - Watch with Mother, Town (and) Country and The Infernal Galop.  Even in his early days Sir Matthew Bourne's works are full of wit, humour and references to classical ballet.

 

With Town, I particularly loved the reference to Brief Encounter.  There are lots of delightful references to Fille in Country and Galop is just soooooo my idea of French!

 

All 9 performers in the piece were terrific.

 

There was a post show talk/Q&A with Sir Matt that (judging by the theatre staff continually opening the doors) way over-ran and was both informative, inspiring and fun.  I can't wait to see this again next week at the Liverpool Playhouse.

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I was at the Grand Theatre this afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed it though rather disappointed it wasn't better attended. it was very fun and light hearted and a great antidote to a cold, wet, miserable day. Terry decided not to come because of the taped music and I think it would have been too loud for him even with ear plugs. it wasn't unpleasantly loud but was louder than it needed to be as amplified music often is. the annoying thing was they played some music in the intervals and that was at a perfectly acceptable level then as soon as they started dancing they increased the volume. I liked the reference to la Fille with the clog dance; pity they couldn't have the proper music; also the very basic cats cradle and, like Janet, enjoyed the reference to Brief Encounter. I don't think Matthew Bourne is a great choreographer; I thought the choreography itself bore more resemblance to musicals than classical ballet and quite a few of the dancers were trained at theatre schools not classical ballet schools. But he did capture the mood of the period very well and the dancers worked very hard and seemed to be enjoying themselves. The can can finale was great with everyone clapping along though I wish the girls had changed into can can dresses to give a traditional rendition. The dancers enjoyment was very infectious and everyone came out smiling, having had a great afternoon and you can't say fairer than that.

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I saw the show at York's Theatre Royal yesterday afternoon - a very well-attended matinee - and thoroughly enjoyed it.  The tragic hedgehog incident made me wonder, not for the first time, if dancers have ever been injured by Widow Simone's flying feet in the Fille clog dance!  The music seemed to me to be over-amplified, but no-one sitting near me remarked on it so perhaps I'm just overly sensitive to noise.

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