Plans for the new work have been in development over the past few years and recently became firm with a short run in Plymouth's Theatre Royal, Nov. 14-19, before playing at London’s Sadler's Wells starting Nov. 22 and officially opening Nov. 30. Now comes word that the work will play other venues past its Sadler's stint through Feb. 5, 2006.
The 1990 Tim Burton fairy tale film, which is to be made into a dance theatre piece — in the vein of Bourne's Swan Lake — rather than a musical, will play later in 2006 at: Southampton Mayflower (Feb. 14-18), Lowry Salford (Feb. 21-25), Norwich Theatre Royal (Feb. 28-March 4), New Wimbledon Theatre (March 7-11), Wales Millenium Centre (March 14-18), Birmingham Hippodrome (March 21-25), New Victoria Theatre of Woking (March 28-April 1), Nottingham Theatre Royal (April 4-8), Glasgow Theatre Royal (April 11-15), Newcastle Theatre Royal (April 18-22), Wyncombe Swan (April 25 29), Bradford Alhambra (May 2-6) and Milton Keynes Theatre (May 9-13). Ticket links are available at the show's website at www.edwardscissorhands.co.uk.
"Edward Scissorhands" follows the story of a young man (as played by Johnny Depp) created by an inventor (Vincent Price) who dies before finishing his work — leaving the man with scissors instead of hands. When a determined Avon lady (Dianne Wiest) discovers him in his castle, she attempts to bring him into her home. Before long, the community becomes involved and Edward's hands become more trouble than they are cut out for. Winona Ryder, Kathy Baker, Anthony Michael Hall and Alan Arkin also starred in the movie.
Bourne danced his way into the mindset of theatregoers with his theatrical stagings of Cinderella (Evening Standard Award), The Car Man (L.A. Drama Critics' Circle Award) and Swan Lake — which earned him an Olivier Award and two Tony Awards. Recent credits include choreography on the West End staging of Mary Poppins and Play Without Words — which debuted stateside at BAM. "It's in the style of my other pieces," Bourne previously told The Village Voice. "It's definitely not a musical... I was quite open-minded toward a musical, but [the creators] wanted it like the other pieces. They were excited by the prospect of non-verbal theater. It came from them, really. We've written the scenario for this version. It's quite different from the 1990 film."
The stage Edward Scissorhands will star Bourne vets Richard Winsor and Sam Archer, who will alternate in the title role. Regular Bourne collaborators Scott Ambler and Etta Murfitt will serve as associate directors and co-star. Terry Davies, who worked with Bourne on Play Without Words and The Car Man, will compose music adapted from Danny Elfman's haunting film score to the Caroline Thompson screenplay. The design team will include Lez Brotherston (set and costumes), Howard Harrison (lighting) and Paul Groothuis (sound).
Thompson and Elfman are masters of the macabre. Screenwriter Thompson has also penned the 1991 film "The Addams Family," Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and the upcoming Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" (with Michael Cohn and Pamela Pettler). Composer Elfman is known for countless movie scores — many with Burton — including "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," "Beetlejuice," "Scrooged," "Batman," "Army of Darkness," "Sleepy Hollow" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
For more information on Edward Scissorhands, visit www.edwardscissorhands.co.uk.
