Still as graceful as ever

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, Lowry, Salford

It’s 15 years since Matthew Bourne’s very masculine production of Swan Lake burst on to the ballet stage — and judging by last night’s audience, nothing can slake our thirst for more of the same.

Bourne reckons his take on the work, with its all-male corps de ballet, has been performed more times in 15 years than by the Royal Ballet in its 70 years.

Perhaps people are over the shock-factor now, though it is still eye-popping when his bare-chested corps de ballet takes to the stage. But now it’s more mainstream with the hit film “Billy Elliot” featuring the grown up Billy playing the lead in Swan Lake and school parties regularly in the audience.

Bourne’s triumphant modern interpretation may not suit classicists, but since it has been acclaimed all over the world, it obviously works on an international level, and ballet speaks an international language.

Last night was no exception, and Richard Winsor as the swan, and the rest of the cast, received a standing ovation.

Bourne injected real humour into the first act, which has been described as a romantic comedy crossed with Hitchcock’s film “The Birds”, but by the third act we are in a much darker world, and his swans become menacing, wild and truly masculine.

So far, Bourne’s ballet has won 30 international awards, and this production — in Salford until Saturday — is on yet another national tour.

If I had a quibble, it seemed as if the synchronisation was slipping and some tightening up of ensemble swan scenes is necessary.

But truly those men and their graceful, powerful arms can create the stunning imagery of such beautiful birds — and their ability to attack.