'Sleeping Beauty' at Sadler's Wells

My Christmas treat was Matthew Bourne's new production of 'Sleeping Beauty' at Sadler's Wells. As ever, Sadler's Wells was in festive garb with the trees outside covered in lights and a giant Christmas Tree inside that, sadly, no-one seemed to pay any attention to. I did, I gave it big lookings over a glass of red wine.

I've seen most of Matthew Bourne's works at Sadler's Wells except for 'Highland Fling' which I hope to see soon. His 'Swan Lake' and 'Nutcracker' are firm Christmas favourites and I'm happy to add 'Sleeping Beauty' to that list, just as Tchaikovsky did.

I loved the production, lush staging and lighting, impressive dancing that elegantly told the tale of Princess Aurora and her suitors and the hints of danger throughout. The good faeries and the bad faeries with hints of vampirism, both Victorian fantasies. So appropriate to a tale that starts in 1890 with the adopting of the Princess and, in1911, by her Edwardian coming of age birthday. Folklore and magic rule the day, even when the story shoot forward 100 years to characters in jeans and hoodies.

The tale is easy to follow through dance and drama. The good faeries brining happiness and joy to the new baby princess, flying through the open window to dance around her cot. Sadly, the bad faerie godmother can also get through the window to curse Aurora to be caught by the good faeries who try to mitigate the curse.

At Aurora's coming of age party she meets the son of the bad faerie godmother who holds a black rose. After dancing with her young love, the gardener, Aurora picks up the rose and pricks her finger and the curse falls on her. The only way to save her is to take her to sleep in faerieland behind locked gates that will remain locked for 100 years. To ensure her lover is there to save her, the good faerie prince bites his neck as the curtain falls on the first half. You could almost feel the collective intake of breath across the audience as the faerie prince exposed the young gardeners neck ready to bite...

The second half opens 100 years later and presents the battle for Aurora's soul, the battle of good over evil and a life-affirming continuation of fantasy. I won't tell you what happens since it would be far better for you to see it when it goes on tour after the current Sadler's Wells run. It is, needless to say, excellent.

I loved the characterisation of the dancers, the simple moments of joy and happiness of Aurora and her love, the reek of evil around the dark godmother and evil faerie prince (played by the same dancer). The valiant good faeries defending the young princess and then taking care of her during her long sleep in faerieland. The battle between the good and evil faerie princes in the penultimate scene filled with faeries in black and red, with red lighting bathing the stage in gothic horror.

It's a magical telling of an old tale, beautifully presented and performed and perfect for Christmas and the dark winter months. Make sure you see it if the tour comes anywhere near you. I've already booked to see it again.