Male dominance in Bourne’s Swan Lake is defining feature

Matthew Bourne re-imagines the classic ballet Swan Lake, says Tina Darb O’Sullivan.

MATTHEW Bourne’s theatre production company, New Adventures, specialises in adapting classic shows, giving them a modern, sometimes mischievous twist.

His treatment of Swan Lake is a prime example. In 1995 Bourne made a bold and radical move to replace the female chorus of swans with male dancers in his adaptation of the well-loved ballet. The resulting production has broken records on London’s West End and on Broadway.