UK Theatre Network

Matthew Bourne’s Dorian Gray

Reviewed by Sue Marks at Milton Keynes Theatre on Tuesday 9^th June 2009.
 

This production is what dance should be: vital, flowing, sensual, but above all entrancing. It offers a variation upon Wilde’s original Picture of Dorian Gray whilst interpreting the same theme. In Wilde’s story a painting of Gray absorbs the corruption which should be visited upon the individual and by so doing encourages more and more corruption.  As with all dance this production is open to personal interpretation but for me Bourne explores the corrupting influence of fame and beauty. Here the image retains its beauty as does Gray himself, the corruption being internalised and leading to a journey through hedonism to vice and ultimately to the destruction of the origins of fame and Gray himself. I frequently found myself torn between foreground and background action to the extent that I may go to another performance to catch the bits I missed.

It would be divisive to talk about individual members of the company as they are clearly a talented, experienced and mutually supportive team. On this night the cast consisted of ; Richard Winsor, Michela Meazza, Jason Piper, Christopher Marney, Jared Hageman, Ashley Bain, Joe Colesanti, Anabel Kutay, Dominic Lamb, Dominic North, Joe Walkling and Chloe Wilkinson. The band were; Craig Edwards associate musical director and keyboard, Dan Bowtell on guitar, Mat Elliott on bass guitar, James Gambold on drumkit/percussion and  Magnus Mehta on percussion/keyboard.

Both the set and the costumes were predominantly black and white, making Dorian stand out in his grey suit. The set had a certain simplicity giving the appearance of whitewashed brick walls, with a huge screen in the centre on a revolving stage. One side of the screen was white whilst the other side had been given an industrial finish of grey and rust. Props included the bed with black linen, a beautiful black sofa and a rather pleasant bath in which rather unpleasant things happen. Personally I thought the most amazing prop was a skull shaped mirror ball.

For the most part the lighting was low key being effective without being intrusive with perhaps the exception of the strobe sequence, the mirror ball and one or two other effects. One advantage of the white walls was the strength of the shadows cast upon them and this was used with deliberate effect.

Clearly an awful lot of effort had been put into the music drawing together many different threads including classical, pop, rock, dance and world music and I enjoyed it so much I bought the cd of the soundtrack in the interval. In many ways the ambience provided by the music provided the canvas the dancers then painted upon.  

I have no hesitation in saying this is the best dance I have ever seen, an opinion that was clearly echoed by the comments of those around me and the rapturous applause at the end of the performance. I can honestly say I was captivated from beginning to end and it left me wanting more.

Dorian Gray plays Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 13^th June 2009. Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office 0844 871 7652 (bkg fee). www.miltonkeynestheatre.com.
The tour then continues playing Teatro Alighieri, Ravenna Festival Italy from Friday 19^th to Sunday 21^st June 2009. www.new-adventures.net/doriangray/tour.

Reviewed by Sue Marks at Milton Keynes Theatre on Tuesday 9^th June 2009 on behalf of Catherine Brian.