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Matthew Bourne's Next Project - Red Shoes??


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Just read on BBC website that he's going to adapt a classic British film about a ballet company:-

 

'He also revealed he is currently adapting a classic film for the stage - but would not reveal which one.

 

"I've got a world premiere next year for my company," he said. "It's based on a famous British film about dance, about a ballet company. People can guess."

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-34556441

 

I'm stuck - anyone??

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Thanks alison.

 

I'm just doing a futurelearn course about Hans Christian Andersen and am fascinated by his obsession with ballet. He has created the most beautiful series of papercuts featuring ballet dancers and I have unearthed this old guardian article about his own failed ballet ambitions http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/nov/01/dance

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Hans Christian Andersen apparently for a time was very fond of Harald Scharff, a principal dancer in August Bournonville´s company and maybe the inspiration for his fairy tale "The Snowman".

 

I can recommend two comparatively recent biographies of Hans Christian Andersen, one by Jens Andersen, the other by Jackie Wullschlager.

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Yes they do, but not in great detail. I´d say that the biography by Jens Andersen is more about the person, maybe has more details of his life (and more pages, about 700).

As far as I remember the one by Jackie Wullschlager tends to have more literary analysis and historical context. It is also originally in English, whereas Mr Andersen´s book would be a translation (unless you can read Danish of course).

Edited by Katharina
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Sorry I wanted to add something to my prevoious post but was too late ...

 

About Jens Andersen´s biography, I would have liked from a Danish author more about H. Chr. Andersen´s years in the Royal Theatre´s Ballet School, maybe even an excursus into that institution´s history up to that time, but there is not so much. But all in all it is a very comprehensive book with many details of his life and environment.

 

"Life of a Storyteller" by Jackie Wullschlager tends to have more literary analysis and historical / literary context. Chapter 3 is about Copenhagen and the Ballet School years (but not exclusively).

 

 

Oh  I see you have already replied :-) The Wullschlager biography has had great reviews, too ("the standard life for years to come", Literary Review).

 

 

Edited to add last line.

Edited by Katharina
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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks alison.

I'm just doing a futurelearn course about Hans Christian Andersen and am fascinated by his obsession with ballet. He has created the most beautiful series of papercuts featuring ballet dancers and I have unearthed this old guardian article about his own failed ballet ambitions http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/nov/01/dance

The old Disney film 'Hans Christian Anderson' is worthless as a biopic but it's worth watching for a scene in which young Erik Bruhn dances with Zizi Jeanmaire.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Whilst Matthew Bourne was talking to RTE about his Sleeping Beauty in Dublin, he mentioned a new project for next year - all hush-hush, he says, but based on a British film about Dance.  People can guess, he says, if they're old enough.  I may well qualify on that score, and offer The Red Shoes as a distinct possibility.  There's plenty in the Powell/Pressburger film that might appeal to Bourne's dramatic stage sense.

 

Link here, includes a video clip of the interview:

http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2015/1112/741304-bourne-teases-next-ballet-project/

 

 

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