The Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake company take flight [Johan Persson]

MATTHEW Bourne’s iconic 1995 production of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake helped cement his career. Almost 30 years later, his version continues to delight audiences.

Inspired by German and Russian folk tales, Swan Lake tells the story of a lonely prince (James Lovell) and his love for Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse. Bourne’s adaptation features an all-male corps; bare-chested dancers with feathered trousers.

Odette is transformed into a male swan (Harrison Dowzell) and the prince is seduced by the potent masculinity and freedom he represents.

Bourne resets the ballet in 21st-century England. There are some playful references to our own royal family – the Queen’s pet corgis, the disdain shown to the prince’s brash girlfriend (Katrina Lyndon) and her love of clubbing, as well as some darker themes such as the media’s relentless pursuit of the royals and the constraints of public life and duty.

Nicola Kabera is a formidable queen, cold and haughty, keeping her needy son at arm’s length. There are echoes of Hamlet’s troubled relationship with Gertrude in her flirtation with the Stranger during the ball. Lyndon, too, gives a memorable turn as the unsuitable girlfriend.

One expects excellent standards from Bourne and his team and they do not disappoint. The fourteen swans hiss and stamp in perfect synchronicity. Dowzell is outstanding as the lead Swan/Stranger; his pas de deux with Lovell is a highlight.

Lez Brotherston’s set design is a mixed blessing. The production is embarking on an anniversary tour so the scenery needs to be portable. The huge bed that dominates certain scenes is striking, but a rickety park bench briefly dispels the enchantment.

Until January 26
sadlerswells.com