Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake Returns to Milton Keynes

Premiering at Sadler’s Wells in 1995, Matthew Bourne’s triumphant modern re-interpretation of Swan Lake turned tradition upside down, taking the dance world by storm. This multi award-winning hit returns to Milton Keynes Theatre for one week only 1 – 6 February.

Matthew Bourne blends dance, humour and spectacle with extravagant, award-winning designs by Lez Brotherston, to create a provocative and powerful Swan Lake for our times.  Now firmly crowned as a modern-day classic, this iconic production is perhaps best-known for replacing the traditional female corps de ballet with a menacing male ensemble.

Collecting over 30 international theatre awards including three Tonys, Swan Lake has been acclaimed as a landmark achievement on the international stage. It has become the longest running ballet in the West End and on Broadway and enjoyed four hugely successful tours in the UK and thrilled audiences all over the world.

Casting for the  revival includes a mix of established New Adventures performers and newcomers. Richard Winsor and Jonathan Ollivier will both be making their debuts in the coveted role of The Swan.

Richard Winsor is one of New Adventures leading performers having created the title roles in both Edward Scissorhands (2005) and Dorian Gray (2008). He was also in the original cast of Bourne’s Play Without Words (2002) and was seen as Angelo in The Car Man and the title role in Nutcracker! This Summer he is starring in his first major film, Street Dance , the first British movie to be shot in 3D, which will be released next Spring.

Jonathan Ollivier is making his debut with New Adventures. After graduating from The Rambert School in 1996, he joined The Cape Town City Ballet Company. He became a principle before returning to England in 1999 to join Northern Ballet Theatre. Here he created many leading roles, most notably Stanley Kowalski in Didy Veldman’s contemporary ballet of A Streetcar Named Desire and Heathcliffe in David Nixon’s Wuthering Heights. Ollivier joined the Alberta Ballet Company as a Principle dancer in 2007 and returned to the UK to pursue a freelance career in 2009.

The pivotal role of The Prince will be performed by two dancers one with a long history with Bourne’s Swan Lake, Dominic North and Sam Archer who will join the company in January when he will be making his debut as The Prince.

Dominic North has one of the longest continuous involvements with Swan Lake having made his professional debut with New Adventures in the 10th Anniversary production in 2004. Dominic has performed the role of The Prince on several occasions as the “cover” but now takes on the role full time. He has performed four other New Adventures productions; The Car Man, Nutcracker!, Dorian Gray and made his debut in his first Principle role in the title role of Edward Scissorhands at The Sydney Opera House in 2008. Earlier this year he created the leading role in Aletta Collins’ The Red Balloon at The Royal Opera House.

Sam Archer has a long history with Matthew Bourne having been part of Fagin’s Gang in the original London Palladium Revival of Oliver! in 1995. Sam joined the company to dance in The Car Man in 2002. He went on to play roles in Play Without Words and Nutcracker! and co-created the title role in Edward Scissorhands in 2005. He has since toured in Bourne’s Mary Poppins, covering and playing the leading role of Bert. This Summer he has been seen in John Doyle’s production of Oklahoma at The Chichester Festival.

Returning to the role of The Queen will be American dancer, Nina Goldman, who has performed in various roles within the production, including The Girlfriend, since becoming one of the original Broadway cast in 1998. Nina has also performed in The Car Man and had a great success last year as Joyce Monroe in Edward Scissorhands. Sharing the role for the revival will be former Principle dancer with The Cullberg Ballet and Northern Ballet Theatre, Charlotte Broom, who will be making her New Adventures debut.

Don’t miss this award winning masterpiece.  Book your tickets today at Box Office 0844 8717652 or visit www.ambassadortickets.com/miltonkeynes

Performances: 01 – 06 Feb Evening 7.30pm, Wed & Sat Matinees 2.30pm
Tickets: £14 – £36
Box Office: 0844 871 7652 (bkg fee)
Groups Hotline: 01908 547609
Access Booking: 0871 297 5477 (bkg fee)
Online Booking: www.ambassadortickets.com/miltonkeynes (bkg fee)

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