Imagine Dracula/Frankenstein combined with a non-Latin version of West Side Story with Chaplin in the lead and it may give you just some idea of what you might find if you go along to see this poignant tale about a very gentle man with hands of steel! But that still won't prepare you for the production's tremendous energy and its sheer spectacle. When you enter the auditorium and see the stage covered by a special curtain somehow you know you are going to be in for a treat. Even before the dancing really kicks off I was hit by the brilliance of Lez Brotherston's design. Sets do not come any more Gothic than in these opening scenes but very soon the Alhambra stage is transformed into the warm sunshine of the USA in the 1950s. This is the suburban America of quiffs, tight jeans, cheerleaders, ponytails, picket fences and cookouts. This is, in short, the American dream and there is at least one desperate housewife!
 | | Edward... |
Edward Scissorhands finds himself in the middle of this community where, after the initial shock and surprise, he seems to be accepted by most of its members. After all a chap who can do both topiary and haircuts (the birth of punk?) must be useful to have around. Edward becomes something of a local hero. But jealousies arise and not everyone in the community wishes him well. An accident leads to the inevitable. It's also a love story and there's more than a bit of humour. The whole production is driven along by Terry Davies' music conducted by Brett Morris (but using some of Danny Elfman's themes from the original movie). There's a hardly a dull note along the way. More intimate or dramatic moments are set off by big set pieces which seem to call for the cast to be doing their own thing but I suspect nothing could be further the truth. This is real ensemble work, brilliantly choreographed by Matthew Bourne.
 | | Edward adapts to the world around him |
In the programme director and choreographer Bourne writes: "It has been a dream of mine to present Edward Scissorhands on stage ever since I first saw Tim Burton's wonderful film in 1990. The show has been in development, on and off, for over seven years so it is thrillling now to finally be able to realise that dream." And having seen Edward Scissorhands, the dance, I can say this seems to be as obvious a story for a ballet as well-loved classics such as Coppelia or Swan Lake. Bourne more than demonstrates that stories can be told without words. Movement, music and design all come together to achieve this end but nowhere is this more true than in the facial expressions of the cast. Richard Winsor's performance as Edward is, as mentioned before, nothing short of Chaplinesque.Ìý This is no copy-cat act though - he gives a performance I'm sure even the little man would be proud of and it is entirely appropriate to the role. He keeps in character right up to the final curtain. In the end all the sunny optimism disappears from the stage and perhaps behind every American dream there always lies a Gothic nightmare! I'm probably reading too much in to this but I'm certainly not reading too much into the warm and very enthusiastic reception given to Edward Scissorhands by the Bradford audience. Catch it if you can! | 
