Review: Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake at The Bristol Hippodrome - The Next Generation
Posted on: 06 Mar 2025Alys Marshall reviews Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake - The Next Generation at The Bristol Hippodrome.
“A captivating modern classic, retold with wit and vigour”
Known for its controversial all-male cast, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake caused an unforgettable stir when it premiered 30 years ago — in Swan Lake: The Next Generation, the sets and storytelling may have evolved, but the show retains its striking and sinister magic.
That darkness is evident from the opening scene, which takes place in the iconic bed chamber set where the Prince is being overlooked by the Swan. It’s a compelling way to begin, this hint at the unravelling to come, and it’s immediately clear we’re in safe hands with Leonardo McCorkindale who plays a vulnerable yet hot-headed Prince.
Ballet can be inaccessible, but this modern retelling is engaging and unexpectedly witty. The early scenes of courtship between the Prince and the Girlfriend are particularly charming, and Bryony Wood shows fantastic comic timing, which is no mean feat without any dialogue to rely on.
The meta ballet-within-a-ballet is a charming addition, as are the scenes in Swank bar which play with shadow, creating vivid and visually stunning results reminiscent of Chicago. I have to mention Jade Copas here, who gets a lot of laughs as the most unenthused feather fan dancer in history; everything from her hunched gait to the artfully placed cigarette screams “washed up”.
As you’d expect from Bourne, light and dark are employed to great effect throughout, particularly in those monochromatic scenes where the whole cast of swans dominates, and the audience feels the full impact of the bird-like choreography. While the show is brimming with talent, Harrison Dowzell brings spectacular charisma and machismo to the Swan, cutting a menacing, seductive figure in the scenes at the royal ball, then transforming into something more raw and romantic in bird form.
I’m always astonished by the sheer athletic prowess of ballet dancers, and in a show like Swan Lake, that strength and power is especially clear. The dancing is demanding, with eerie, animalistic movements that require unfathomable synchronicity and stamina. Every swan in the flock deserves recognition for their part in bringing such a memorable piece of culture to life.
While I had been assured that Tchaikovsky's score would be performed by a live orchestra, the ballet takes place to a recording. This was the only blot on the copy book of this show, and it’s a testament to the talent of the cast and crew that the lack of live musicians barely hampered the experience.
Swan Lake: The Next Generation is on at The Bristol Hippodrome from Tuesday 4th — Saturday 8th March 2025, with tickets starting at £63.
Get Bristol Hippodrome tickets and show details here.
Article by:
Alys is a full-time copywriter, avid reader and podcast enthusiast currently based in Henleaze. As a recent transplant from the North, she’s keen to explore everything the South West has to offer, but is especially interested in exploring the food, art and culture scene in Bristol.
