Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake Review

Reviewed by Elle Milford at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review

Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake is without a doubt one of the most famous ballets to exist, the story of a princess cursed by a sorcerer to be a swan. What makes this version so special is Matthew Bourne's choreography and changes to the story but supported by costume and lighting.

Photo by Johan Persson

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake first premiered 30 years ago in 1995 and is famous for being the first “all-male” Swan Lake as all the swans are danced by men. Matthew credits this production to being one that changed his life and gave New Adventures its future fortunes, and after seeing the performance myself it's easy to see why this version has become iconic over the years. 

Harrison Dowzell takes on the role of The Swan/The Stranger and he gives it his all. He truly embodies the physicality of a swan through the choreography using his arms to create the neck and beak of a swan, alongside the ensemble of swans, Harrison Dowzell stands out commanding the attention of the audience not just as The Swan but as The Stranger. The Stranger is symbolic of the black swan and exudes sexual tension through flirting with the women present, including the Queen. As both The Swan and The Stranger, there is a level of aggression and assertiveness but also vulnerability and strength.

The Prince, played by James Lovell was relatable from showing his fascination with The Swan in his dreams, to his aspiration of being free from his duty-bound life whilst also desiring love from his mother, The Queen (played by Nicole Kabera). The Prince came across not only naive but also trapped in his royal life. It felt as though you could feel his pain of feeling stuck and alone but then also the joy of being accepted by The Swan during the pas de deux in Act 2.  

Photo by Johan Persson

Special mentions go to Nicole Kabera as the Queen and Bryony Wood who played The Girlfriend. From the Queen struggling to bond with The Prince to the flirtatious side of her sensual pas de deux with The Stranger, everytime she was on stage it was easy to keep an eye on her to watch her reactions to the ongoing scene. The Girlfriend served as a character who initially came across as shallow but slowly grew into being not only comedic as Act 1, Scene 3 really shows with her being disruptive in the royal box but to being someone who genuinely cares for The Prince which is shown during her interaction with The Private Secretary after leaving the Swank Bar, another one to watch for the expressions and reactions within each scene.

Costume design by Lez Brotherston not only elevated the tradition with the ballet and royal family but also launched the show into more modern times as seen in characters such as The Girlfriend and the princesses shown in Act 3, Scene 1. Lighting by Paule Constable was powerful using elements such as shadows to emphasize the choreography of the swans throughout the production, including the prologue.

What I really enjoyed with this production was the chance to see the swans in a different light, rather than fragile they felt strong which came from the change to male dancers, it feels as though Matthew Bourne has acknowledged that swans whilst beautiful are also extremely strong and aggressive and deserve to be seen this way alongside the softer side.

Photo by Johan Persson

If you are looking to see a ballet with a twist, this is definitely one to add to the list. Matthew Bourne's individual style with the story is what makes this so loved and remembered.

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Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake continues at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal until Saturday 22nd February 2025 and tours until in the UK and internationally throughout the year. Visit https://www.new-adventures.net/swan-lake for full dates and tickets.