The show will play a warm-up run in Plymouth’s Theatre Royal, Nov. 14-19, before heading to London’s Sadler’s Wells beginning Nov. 22, with its official opening Nov. 30. Performances are scheduled through Feb. 5, 2006.

The show is based on Tim Burton’s 1990 movie, which starred Jonny Depp, about a young man with scissors for hands. Bourne is a self-confessed movie addict; he even used to collect movie stars’ autographs (he has thousands of them). Many of his previous shows have paid homage to favorite films: The Car Man reworked Bizet to fit “The Postman Always Rings Twice,” while Play Without Words dipped into Joseph Losey’s “The Servant.”

Bourne is one of the world’s most commercially successful contemporary choreographers, having broken West End and Broadway records with his famous reinterpretation of Swan Lake, and his many hit dance shows (mostly reworked classics) include Highland Fling and Nutcracker!. However, he has been increasingly branching out into musical theatre in recent years, choreographing My Fair Lady and South Pacific, both for Trevor Nunn. And, he co-directed Mary Poppins alongside Richard Eyre.

Scissorhands will star Richard Winsor and Sam Archer, who will alternate the title role. Both aged 23, they have also both appeared in three other Bourne shows. Regular Bourne collaborators Scott Ambler and Etta Murfitt will serve as associate directors and as co-star. The music will be composed by Terry Davies, adapted from Danny Elfman's film score. Davies and Bourne have previously worked together on Play Without Words and The Car Man.

Other Bourne plans? Swan Lake tours the U.K. later in 2005, before moving to Paris for Christmas and then extensively touring the U.S. in 2006. Highland Fling returns to Sadler’s Wells during summer 2005. And, My Fair Lady is gearing up for a U.K. tour. For more information about Scissorhands, call the Plymouth Theatre Royal on (0)1752 267222, or Sadler’s Wells on (0)870 737 7737.