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Matthew Bourne

[Review] Hex – an alternative Sleeping Beauty from the National Theatre

28 December 2022 by Matthew Paluch Leave a Comment

Rosie Graham as Princess Rose and Ensemble in Hex at the National Theatre, photo by Johan Persson

After The Sleeping Beauty by Matthew Bourne and with The Royal Ballet, Matthew Paluch looks at the National Theatre’s take on the story. TitleHexCompanyNational TheatreVenueOlivier Theatre, National … [Read more...] about [Review] Hex – an alternative Sleeping Beauty from the National Theatre

[Review] Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty: a joyous performance with the ‘wow’ factor

8 December 2022 by Deborah Weiss 1 Comment

10_Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty, photo by Johan Persson with New Adventures Dancers Andrew Monaghan and Ashley Shaw

Guest author Deborah Weiss sees Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty in London TitleSleeping BeautyCompanyNew AdventuresVenueSadler's Wells, LondonDate3 December 2022ReviewerDeborah Weiss It was good … [Read more...] about [Review] Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty: a joyous performance with the ‘wow’ factor

[Review] Men in Motion: the male dance spectacular still delivers, ten years on

7 November 2022 by Matthew Paluch Leave a Comment

Edward Watson in A Sheila Dance by Arthur Pita - Men in Motion, photo by Elliott Franks 03

Guest author Matthew Paluch sees the 10th-anniversary performance of Men in Motion TitleMen in MotionCompanyIvan Putrov's Men in MotionVenueThe London ColiseumDate6 November 2022ReviewerMatthew … [Read more...] about [Review] Men in Motion: the male dance spectacular still delivers, ten years on

[Photo Album] Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man at the Royal Albert Hall

3 July 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Matthew Bourne's The Car Man, photo by Dasa Wharton - 22

Matthew Bourne’s revisited version of his The Car Man, first seen in 2000, has just completed 14 performances at the Royal Albert Hall – a new staging for the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th … [Read more...] about [Photo Album] Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man at the Royal Albert Hall

National Youth Dance Company appoints Wayne McGregor as its next Guest Artistic Director

29 June 2022 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Wayne McGregor © PaÌl Hansens

Choreographer Wayne McGregor is the new Guest Artistic Director of the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC). NYDC, now Entering its tenth anniversary year, is the UK’s flagship company for young … [Read more...] about National Youth Dance Company appoints Wayne McGregor as its next Guest Artistic Director

London Children’s Ballet: eliminating barriers to talent

18 May 2022 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Anne of Green Gables - London Children's Theatre, photo by ASH 2022 - 09

The four-month rehearsal and performance experience is free of charge, which means there is no barrier to talent, so London Children's Ballet dancers come from every economic, social and ethnic … [Read more...] about London Children’s Ballet: eliminating barriers to talent

Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man to open at the Royal Albert Hall

4 December 2020 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Matthew Bourne's The Car Man, New Adventures 2015-01

New Adventures will bring Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man back to the stage as part of the Royal Albert Hall 150th anniversary celebrations. The Car Man will play for … [Read more...] about Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man to open at the Royal Albert Hall

Photo Album: Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes

24 December 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes © Dasa Wharton, 2019 07

Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes is back and has been hailed by all the critics as being even better than before. Adam Cooper joins the company for this revival and Ashley Shaw is Victoria Page, the … [Read more...] about Photo Album: Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes

Matthew Bourne’s new Romeo and Juliet comes to cinema screens

23 August 2019 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet in cinema

Matthew Bourne’s contemporary re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is set in the not-too-distant future in ‘The Verona Institute’.  ‘Difficult’ young people are mysteriously confined by a … [Read more...] about Matthew Bourne’s new Romeo and Juliet comes to cinema screens

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake to be screened in cinemas 21 May

31 January 2019 by Gramilano 1 Comment

MATTHEW BOURNE'S SWAN LAKE. Will Bozier as 'The Swan'. Photo by Johan Persson

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake will be screened in cinemas in the UK on Tuesday 21 May 2019. Bourne says, I’m thrilled that this brand-new production of my Swan Lake will be in cinemas… It has become a … [Read more...] about Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake to be screened in cinemas 21 May

Winterreise: Angelin Preljocaj’s new work for La Scala, with rehearsal photos

22 December 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Angelin Preljocaj's Winterreise, rehearsal photo by Brescia and Amisano, Teatro alla Scala 2018 13

Schubert’s Winterreise is the basis of Angelin Preljocaj’s new work commissioned by La Scala. It continues the series of ballets at the theatre using chamber music and a smaller group of dancers than … [Read more...] about Winterreise: Angelin Preljocaj’s new work for La Scala, with rehearsal photos

Matthew Ball in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake

16 December 2018 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Matthew Ball in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, photo by Dasa Wharton, 2018 10

Luke Jennings – The Observer From the moment of his first entrance, it’s Ball’s show. As well as being an assured technician, he’s a dance actor of real charisma. As the Swan, he’s dangerous and … [Read more...] about Matthew Ball in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake

The Royal Ballet promotions for 2018/19 season: Matthew Ball has been promoted to Principal dancer

13 July 2018 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Giselle. Matthew Ball as Albrecht. ©ROH, 2018. Photographed by Bill Cooper

Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, has announced that Matthew Ball has been promoted to Principal Dancer. He said, I’m delighted that Matthew Ball will be a Principal dancer from the start … [Read more...] about The Royal Ballet promotions for 2018/19 season: Matthew Ball has been promoted to Principal dancer

Tributes to choreographer Dame Gillian Lynne flood in from the worlds of musicals and ballet

3 July 2018 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Gillian Lynne Olivier Awards2013

A tweet from Peter Land on Dame Gillian Lynne’s account on Sunday evening, 1 July, announced that the beloved choreographer had died - she was 92: Rest In Peace my darling Gillie. I am heartbroken … [Read more...] about Tributes to choreographer Dame Gillian Lynne flood in from the worlds of musicals and ballet

Akram Khan’s Giselle – ENB’s smash hit in words and pictures

25 September 2017 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Akram Khan's Giselle, English National Ballet, © Dasa Wharton a04

Akram Khan’s new Giselle is a work of immense confidence and scouring anger. Reimagining one of ballet’s most-loved classics, the story of a village girl betrayed by a nobleman, this production is … [Read more...] about Akram Khan’s Giselle – ENB’s smash hit in words and pictures

Dancer Jonathan Ollivier was killed by a minicab driver making a hands-free call

28 September 2016 by Gramilano 5 Comments

Jonathan Ollivier was tragically killed on his way to dance in the final performance in Matthew Bourne's The Car Man in London. A court has heard that the minicab driver that hit Ollivier’s motorbike … [Read more...] about Dancer Jonathan Ollivier was killed by a minicab driver making a hands-free call

ENB’s Emerging Dancer competition to be streamed live on 17 May

13 May 2016 by Gramilano 1 Comment

Rojo crop

The English National Ballet’s Emerging Dancer competition at the London Palladium, now in its seventh year, will this year be live streamed for the first time. The broadcast will be in partnership … [Read more...] about ENB’s Emerging Dancer competition to be streamed live on 17 May

Nutcracker-lite at La Scala – très chic Casse-noisette from Geneva

31 December 2014 by Gramilano 11 Comments

What a disappointment was La Scala's new Nutcracker. A shimmering front-cloth announced "Lo schiaccianoci" as though written in the stars, Tchaikovsky's bewitching overture started and there was that … [Read more...] about Nutcracker-lite at La Scala – très chic Casse-noisette from Geneva

Men in Motion’s magic under the Tuscan sky

21 August 2014 by Gramilano 6 Comments

In 2012, Ivan Putrov had the conceit to produce an all-male gala where Don Q variations were banished, Le Corsaire’s jetés outlawed, and Albrecht’s entrechats six forbidden on pain of death. It short, … [Read more...] about Men in Motion’s magic under the Tuscan sky

Men in Motion at La Versiliana Festival: classics, premières and surprises

12 August 2014 by Gramilano 1 Comment

The latest incarnation of Ivan Putrov's Men in Motion comes to Italy's La Versiliana Festival. Men in Motion was first presented at Sadler's Wells in 2012 and has since been performed with great … [Read more...] about Men in Motion at La Versiliana Festival: classics, premières and surprises

Deloitte Ignite 2014: The Royal Ballet’s month-long festival of dance, music and art

17 July 2014 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

The month-long contemporary arts festival Deloitte Ignite 2014 is based on the theme of myth and this year is curated by The Royal Ballet and The National Gallery’s Dr Minna Moore Ede, who said, At … [Read more...] about Deloitte Ignite 2014: The Royal Ballet’s month-long festival of dance, music and art

Patrice Bart’s Swan Lake, with Tsygankova and Kaniskin, in Rome

19 January 2014 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

It can't be easy to dance with the possibility of redundancy hanging over your head. The workers at Rome Opera have put on a brave face recently as the theatre's heavy debts will almost inevitably … [Read more...] about Patrice Bart’s Swan Lake, with Tsygankova and Kaniskin, in Rome

Olivier Award 2013 nominations announced: dance and opera

26 March 2013 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

While it's great to see 87-year-old working choreographer Gillian Lynne get a special award, there is Marianela Núñez in the running for Outstanding Achievement in Dance, a nomination richly deserved … [Read more...] about Olivier Award 2013 nominations announced: dance and opera

The Times’ Debra Craine on Matthew Bourne: “I was bowled over by his ability to turn levity into something altogether darker and more moving”

7 December 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

"I will always be grateful to Bourne, because more than 20 years ago his dances made me laugh. Right from the start it was clear that he was going to bring an enormous amount of fun to the job of … [Read more...] about The Times’ Debra Craine on Matthew Bourne: “I was bowled over by his ability to turn levity into something altogether darker and more moving”

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty – from Petipa to iPads

26 October 2011 by Gramilano 2 Comments

Matthew Bourne is to create a new version of ballet Sleeping Beauty with "vampiric influences". The work will be premiered at Christmas as part of a season at Sadler's Wells marking 25 years of … [Read more...] about Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty – from Petipa to iPads

Christopher Wheeldon explains why his Alice ballet isn’t a slow-motion car crash

15 October 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Luke Jennings, summing up the critics' verdicts on the 'McCartney Ballet' in the Guardian's theatre blog, reflected on unsuccessful narrative ballets: Ballet's gatekeepers tend to almost infinite … [Read more...] about Christopher Wheeldon explains why his Alice ballet isn’t a slow-motion car crash

English Lads Can Dance! says Italy’s L’Uomo Vogue

14 October 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Bruce Weber photographed the dancers of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake for the January 2011 issue of L'Uomo Vogue. ‘English Lads Can Dance!’  was styled by Deborah Watson, and the dancers are Richard … [Read more...] about English Lads Can Dance! says Italy’s L’Uomo Vogue

Matthew Bourne: “a lot of young people think that it’s odd to have women as swans”

25 June 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake will be shown on television 3-D. Ahead of its showing The Times talked to the choreographer. Here are some of the questions he was asked: Where would you be without Swan … [Read more...] about Matthew Bourne: “a lot of young people think that it’s odd to have women as swans”

3D ballet: Bourne’s Swan Lake to be shown on Sky

21 June 2011 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Sky 3D Swan Lake 1

Broadcaster Sky is to show the first full ballet production in 3D on the small screen. Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake was filmed at Sadler’s Wells using the latest technology and will be broadcast at 8pm … [Read more...] about 3D ballet: Bourne’s Swan Lake to be shown on Sky

A thumbs down for the revival of Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

10 December 2010 by Gramilano Leave a Comment

Created in 1997, Bourne's Blitz Cinderella is being revived at Sadlers' Wells. The critics had some doubts. Zoë Anderson in The Independent starts: Matthew Bourne can come across as a brilliant … [Read more...] about A thumbs down for the revival of Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

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GRAHAM SPICER

Writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano’) about dance, opera, music and photography for people who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like. I was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. My scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times. I write the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.

You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or follow my Facebook page.

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