The production will tour to Birmingham, Salford and Wimbledon, prior to returning to its original home at Sadler's Wells, where Bourne's most recent work, Dorian Gray, freely adapted from Oscar Wilde's gothic masterpiece, was also seen in September after premiering at the Edinburgh International Festival.
Edward Scissorhands, which features music composed, arranged and adapted by Terry Davies based on the original film score of Danny Elfman, is devised, directed and choreographed by Bourne. It will tour to Birmingham Hippodrome (Nov. 11-15), Salford's Lowry (Nov. 18-22) and the New Wimbledon Theatre (Nov. 25-29) in suburban southwest London, before beginning performances at Sadler's Wells Dec. 2, prior to an official opening Dec. 9 and running to Jan. 18, 2009.
The production returns to the U.K. after a successful world tour that saw it travel to Australia (where New Adventures became the first British dance company to perform at The Sydney Opera House), Paris, Athens and Antwerp. While on its U.S. tour, it won a Drama Desk Award for "unique theatrical experience," and in the U.K. the production has won the Best New Dance production at the Manchester Evening News Awards, and was nominated for a South Bank Show Award.
It is described in press materials as "the touching and witty gothic fairytale of a boy created by an eccentric inventor who dies leaving him alone and unfinished. Left with only scissors for hands, Edward must find his place in a strange new suburban world where the well-meaning community struggle to see past his strange appearance to the innocence and gentleness within."
Matthew Malthouse and Dominic North share the title role. Malthouse created the role of the Rev. Judas Evercreech in the original cast of this production and also made his debut as Edward during the first U.K. tour in 2006. He also performed in the recent revival of New Adventures' The Car Man and was in the original cast of the West End hit Mary Poppins, co-directed and co-choreographed by Bourne. North made his debut in the role in Sydney in July this year. He has also appeared in The Car Man, Nutcracker! and toured extensively in the tenth anniversary production of Swan Lake, during which he played the principal role of The Prince on several occasions. The role of Kim Boggs is played by original cast member, Kerry Biggin and also by Noi Tolmer, who made her debut in the role in Sydney. Etta Murfitt and Scott Ambler repeat their roles as Bill and Peg Boggs, Adam Galbraith is Jim Upton, Steve Kirkham is George Monroe and Nina Goldman appears as Joyce Monroe, having appeared as both The Queen and The Girlfriend in Swan Lake last year. Joining them are several performers from the original cast: Ross Carpenter, Gavin Eden, Dena Lague, Rachel Lancaster, Mami Tomotani and Shelby Williams.
New Adventures dancers who are new to this production include Lauriane Delteil (who has previously worked with the company on Swan Lake), Vicky Evans (original casts of Cinderella and The Car Man), Ross Fountain (Swan Lake), Aaron Francis (Swan Lake), Phil Hill (original casts of Swan Lake and Cinderella), Gavin Persand (Swan Lake), Sam Plant (Swan Lake) and Daniel Wright (The Car Man).
Making their debuts with New Adventures are Deborah Annable, Cindy Ciunfrini, Caroline Crawley, Hazel Gold, Bethany Elliot, Tim Hodges, Jack Jones, Dominic Lamb, Chris Neumann and Danny Reubens.
To book tickets for Sadler's Wells, contact the box office at 0844 412 4300 or visit www.sadlerswells.com. For the touring dates, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com, www.thelowry.com and www.newwimbledontheatre.co.uk. For more information on New Adventures, visit www.new-adventures.net.
