Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake – Liverpool Empire

Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company returns to revive the timeless classic ‘Swan Lake’ on the 30th Anniversary Tour.

Bourne names the production ‘next generation’ for a distinct reason. This production brought Swan Lake into the new age, which included amending characters to reflect a truthful modern-day production (such as the prominent character of the Swan/The Stranger being played by a male performer rather than female, executed seamlessly by Jackson Fisch). If you attend the show expecting to see an exact replica of the original Swan Lake, this show might not be for you, however it may just be even better.

As the house lights dimmed and the show began, I was thrilled to hear the addition of a live orchestra for this production, which was a treat. There is something so special about the music being played live that adds another level to the piece. The music felt incredibly sympathetic to the performers and the choreography played so gracefully on every note.

Met with a set of gigantic stature, from the outset it was clear to our audience that the production values would be immense. Opening into a royal palace, the set then transcends into various worlds throughout the production, including: a theatre, a ballroom, a modern-day bar and of course, the Swan Lake. Each set is intricate and cleverly created to maximise the space for the performers, allowing them to perform and emote so largely that each seat in the Empire had a crystal clear picture of what was happening throughout.

The 26-performer-strong company took us on a journey, one told so clearly and beautifully without words, however a standout moment for me was the royal ball, during which we are introduced to the character of The Stranger and The Girlfriend, The Girlfriend is also shot in an accidental moment. This was an extensive section of the performance, which combined classical ballet with elements of modern and jazz dance. The company also used elements of physical theatre, such as slapping the leg and arms to sound and look intimidating and using breath work to inhale and exhale on beat to show anger and power. Similarly to the rest of the production, you could hear a pin drop during these moments as the dancers were incredibly in sync and the audience were in awe. This scene also contained some rather witty and crowd-pleasing moments which was refreshing.

I would highly recommend this production to followers of musical theatre and solely dance-alike. The performers had the audience on the edge of their seat throughout, as they told their powerful rendition of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece for the new age. Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is running at The Liverpool Empire until Saturday 1st March – I strongly urge you to see the phenomenon for yourself.

Reviewer: Grace Annabel

Reviewed: 25th February 2025

North West End UK Rating: