Still flying high, three decades on, this is truly blockbuster entertainmentDaily Telegraph
Matthew Bourne's magical masterpiece looks as fresh and fantastical as everLondon Box Office
Around the boy swans is a cadre of characterful womenEvening Standard
The gold standard for reimagining a classicEvening Standard
...its gay love story and all-male flock of wildfowl proving that you could do whatever you liked with the 19th-century classics, provided you had the wit and intelligence - but also the respect for your source material - to do so.Daily Telegraph
DANCE THEATRE AT ITS MOST COMPELLINGThe Arts Desk
SILKY. SEXY. INTOXICATINGThe i
HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFULSunday Express
BOURNE’S DANCERS ARE ON SUPERB FORMEvening Standard
RAISE A GLASS TO THIS DAZZLING DANCEThe Guardian
"Truly BEAUTIFUL and MOVING, it captures the complicated tension between tragedy and love"London Theatre Reviews
"More witty and beguiling than ever before"The Arts Desk
“This couldn’t be more perfect”Daily Express & Daily Mirror
Exquisite movement and storytelling. Truly enchanting on stage.Northwest End
North gives a heart-wrenching performance.Edinburgh News
Stephanie Billers provides physical and emotional gravitas as Queen EleanorPlays to See (Sleeping Beauty 2023)
Shaw radiates real star quality with a magnetic force that dominates the stage when she's present.British Theatre Guide
As technically assured as she is gifted in storytelling.Plays to See
A real starlet who glows with youthful spirit.The Guardian
Shaw is a mighty force on the stage. Performances like this only come once in a century and audiences should consider themselves lucky to witness her mastery.Huffington Post
A glorious dancer with a glowing youthful spirit, Katrina Lyndon plays the iconic role of Princess Aurora beautifully.Bristol Post
Exquisite movement and storytelling. Truly enchanting on stage.Northwestend
The symbolism of rebirth, womanhood, and supernatural obsession are stunningly brought to life by Katrina Lyndon portraying Aurora.Epigram
Katrina Lyndon plays the beautiful Princess Aurora with spiky personality.Great British Life
Paris Fitzpatrick moves exquisitely, taking Romeo from a tremulous suitor to beguiled lover, then brave protector.Sunday Express (Romeo and Juliet 2023)
Paris Fitzpatrick’s vulnerability as Romeo is like an infection, permeating the skin and insisting that every emotion, every painful thought, is experienced as intensely by the viewer, as by him.Bach Track (Romeo and Juliet 2023)
Paris Fitzpatrick dances with heaps of heart as Romeo, so tender and true.The Times (Romeo and Juliet 2023)
Fitzpatrick makes an indelible impression. He has an inexplicable ability to transform himself and inhabit a role as if he entered the world as that character.Gramilano
Fitzpatrick commands the stage as a malevolent force. Spellbinding.Lost In Theatre Land (Sleeping Beauty 2022)
Eve Ngbokota gives a spirited turn as Tantrum, the Fairy of Temperament.Culture Whisper
Eve Ngbokota as Lennox catches the eye. Their cheeky provocativeness provides light relief during the tense routines.
Quick, sharp and great to watch.The Guardian
Eve Ngbokota is a dancer of exceptional fluid movement.Seeing Dance
Harry Ondrak-Wright as Mercutio captures teenage high jinx perfectly.East Midlands Theatre
Harry Ondrak-Wright gives a passionate and powerful performance as Mercutio.Lights Camera Hustle
Cordelia Braithwaite was born to play this Juliet and lights up the stage with her passion.The Arbuturian
Cordelia Braithwaite is a multifaceted Juliet, not simply passive and innocent, she portrays this Juliet with the depth she deserves.Fairy Powered Productions
Braithwaite's complex, contemplative Juliet is truly something to behold – you don't often see a dancer with equal amounts of refinement and unbridled abandon.Gramilano
Clear and clever storytellingIndependent
Sumptuous and ingeniousEvening Standard
an irresistible spin on the storyThe Guardian
Superior entertainmentTelegraph
Exciting and expressive as everBroadway World
Fantastic and imaginative reworking by the genius that is Matthew BourneThe Recs
Ballet with bite!Bachtrack
Superb. The biggest Christmas gift of all.ReviewsHub
Delightfully quirkyReviewsHub
Steamy dance thriller with a supercharged engine.The Guardian
Deft reinvention sees Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man find an extra gear at the Royal Albert Hall.Independent
Fizzing with the intelligent irreverence that distinguishes this master of dance theatre.Daily Telegraph
Even in the vast Royal Albert Hall, you feel the entire audience leaning in, gripped, wanting to know what happens next.The Stage
It’s hard to put into words the dazzling brilliance of his choreography.Attitude
An adrenalised, heart-pumping sexual thriller that fills every inch of the Royal Albert Hall with exhilarating dance.Sunday Express
Absorbing high octane entertainmentThe Times
It's a blistering, grown-up piece of non-verbal storytelling...created by the peerless master of popular dance theatre.Daily Express
Absolute perfectionThe Spectator
Unforgettable. An eye-popping delight.Observer
THRILLS FROM START TO FINISH. UTTERLY BRILLIANT.Sunday Express
PHENOMENAL ENTERTAINMENTLA Times
INCREDIBLY MOVING AND IMAGINATIVEReview Show, BBC
Extraordinary. Dazzling. Masterful.Sunday Express
The most loved dance-maker in Britain todaySarah Crompton
His popularity has sometimes obscured just how radical all his work has beenSarah Crompton
What is Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell? Answer: a sensation.The Stage
BOURNE’S FAULTLESS NUTCRACKER IS THE SWEET TREAT WE ALL DESERVEEvening Standard
AS SUMPTUOUS AND SCRUMPTIOUS AS IT HAS EVER BEENWhatsOnStage
A WITTY, WONDERFUL, RIP-ROARING SPECTACULARDaily Telegraph
Full of glorious invention - It’s one of Bourne’s best. Blissful.The Observer
The master of wordless dance theatreThe Arts Desk - Best of 2021: Dance
Sexy, smouldering and sad, Bourne reached to the dark heart of desire.The Guardian - The Top Five Dance Shows of 2021
NO OTHER ENGLISH WRITER HAS WRITTEN SO ACUTELY ABOUT SEXUAL INFATUATION, EMBARRASSMENT AND SELF ILLUSIONTIME OUT on Patrick Hamilton
WELCOME TO THE BOURNE SUPREMACY. CLASSIC STORIES WITH A TWIST - CHEEKY, ACCESSIBLE BUT WITH A POWERFUL EMOTIONAL UNDERTOWSunday Times
PROBABLY THE WORLD'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CHOREOGRAPHERNew Yorker
TO TELL A STORY WITHOUT WORDS IS A RARE GIFT, ONE MATTHEW BOURNE AND NEW ADVENTURES USE TO CREATE A MAGICAL WORLD YOU WILL NEVER WANT TO LEAVEDaily Telegraph
THE UNDISPUTED KING OF DANCE THEATREObserver
Bourne’s dance actors are superb in every nuance of body language. As a playgoer, I follow them in complete suspense; as a dance goer, I love the physical texture and rhythm they bring.Financial Times
Occupying a beguiling twilight between dance and drama, this is a fabulously well observed homage to one of the most original and challenging periods in British film-making.Midweek
An evening of brilliant theatre. There is nothing else quite like this show, and I thoroughly recommend it to your ‘must see’ list’.Daily Mail
A brilliant piece of dance-theatre. The infallible Lez Brotherston’s set is a triumph.Sunday Times
You won’t want to avert your eyes from the stage in case you miss one tantalising second.Sunday Express
Is Play Without Words a ballet or a musical or a play? The correct answer is all of the above. It’s a new kind of theatrical experience in which a rich, dramatic story, complete with fully - fledged characters, is told entirely through music and dance.Spectator
Matthew Bourne’s cast possess such exquisite and hilarious mastery of their body language that it is hard to believe not a line of dialogue has been uttered.Guardian
Probably the most flawless and intricate thing that Bourne has ever choreographed. A major event in British theatre.Financial Times
A vibrant, wicked satire of class conflict and sexual desire set in Swinging Sixties London and told exclusively through movement and music... seduction is everywhere.The Times
Gripping, sexy and irresistibly slinkyMail on Sunday
Funny, sexy, stylish and blazingly original. The action is accompanied by a tremendous new jazz score by Terry Davies, which sounds like every great Sixties soundtrack you’ve ever heard. The production has been splendidly designed by Lez Brotherston.Daily Telegraph
A superb score by Terry Davies that ranges from pulsating techno beats to classical piano arrangements.Variety
A fantastic, different, brave and honest show.Will Young
This country’s most popular choreographer… takes us into very dark territory, but the spectacle is never less than theatrical…I suspect that Bourne’s huge and diverse audience will happily follow him to hell and back.The Observer
I've rarely seen this kind of energy on stage and this kind of enjoyment in an audience. It's spectacularly crowd-pleasing.BBC Radio 4 - Front Row
The thing about Bourne is that he never puts a foot wrong and this time he steps into an exciting new territory of sumptuous satirical dance-making which surely we've all been waiting for.The Stage
Allow yourself to be seduced by this thrillingly up-to-date new look at a timeless cautionary tale.Onstage Scotland
The striking and expressive Richard Winsor… charts the characters downfall with aplomb.Financial Times
Wilde night out… with thrilling energy, the cast weave themselves around each other and the revolving set to Terry Davies expansive score…graphic to the end, this pulls no punches.London Paper
Packed with clever references and genuine wit….the most successful dance production ever at the Festival.Financial Times
Bourne's slick, sophisticated and sexy creation…abounds in truly beautiful stage imagery.The Stage
It's tempting to imagine what Wilde would make of it, and when the result is as intelligent and moving as this, it's not a great liberty to believe he'd be proud. The only question now is how Bourne can possibly top this.Metro
Bourne has a near flawless record of combining dark themes with ballet and mass appeal…. One of the hot tickets of the year.Evening Standard
Bourne pictures a most-modern Gray...a brutal comment on modern celebrity and the futility of hedonism…genuinely disconcerting.Daily Express
Bourne gives a more compelling account of Dorian’s downfall than Wilde… a serious work, and arguably one that reveals his most sustained theatrical thinking to date.The Guardian
Dorian play thrills. Glorious!London Paper
A beautiful and perfect, wordless essay on these lives and times.The Independent
Bourne has a brilliant eye… a deft storyteller with sharp characterization and witty detail…the cast are terrific.The Independent
Wilde and wild in all the most brilliantly telling ways.The Herald
Wilde about Bourne’s take on modern celebrity… wall to wall dancing…full of character and storytelling, at the same time pared down and truthful.Sunday Express
A great show, witty, timely, beautifully designed, sometimes chilling, hugely entertaining.The Scotsman
A fantastically exciting, imaginative, gripping and thrilling evening in the theatre. A vision of the story that Oscar would have recognised...like the original it is sexy, dizzying, tumultuous, frightening and profoundly moral. You will be swept away.Stephen Fry
Your jaw will drop, there are moments so stunning that you might just forget to breatheBroadwayWorld
An exhilarating theatrical triumphThe Week
Utterly enthrallingDaily Express
Best of the DecadeThe Sunday Times
DazzlingThe Stage
A gorgeous swirl of storytelling and styleIndependent
Revolutionary and RevitalizingLA Excites
Bourne’s flawless, invigorating choreography makes for a showpiece that will leave your jaw hanging openEntertainment Weekly
EPIC. Gloriously pertinent and impertinent in the best Bourne traditionLos Angeles Times
Dance theatre master Matthew Bourne serves up a dark, cinematic slice of ballet magic that's perfect for wintry nights.Time Out
Visually arresting and ceaselessly inventive. A mountain of eye candy!Metro
Kitsch, certainly, but beautifully cooked! And served up with a shining eagerness by the castFinancial Times
The place is a pink wedding cake riot of dancing Allsorts, a Knickerbocker Glory, a Humbug bouncer and a posse of Sugar Pom Pom Fairies with candyfloss hairDaily Mail
Nothing will kick-start the taste buds like Matthew Bourne’s refreshingly insane Nutcracker!Sunday Express
Bourne is full imaginative flow is tough to beat when it comes to animating a repertory classicVariety
The show is titled – or should I say branded – Nutcracker! It could usefully reclaim the definite article, because it is definitive; it also deserves the exclamation mark it has awarded itselfSpectator
Not even an Elton John birthday party could lick this for over-the-top glitz... a Christmas Nutcracker that’s kitschier than candy floss... a cracker of a Christmas confectionDaily Mail
This Nutcracker is surely the only version in history to generate real narrative tension. Once again Bourne proves that when it comes to conjuring stories, he knows how to work the right spellsGuardian
Deliciously funny. A masterclass in how to have witty and wonderful fun with Tchaikovsky’s iconic balletTimes
A Nutcracker that's truly, truly scrumptiousIndependent on Sunday
A supercharged spectacleMetro
A deliciously funny reinventingLondon Paper
It would take a heart of stone to resist its extraordinary high spiritsDaily Telegraph
A ravishing visual treatObserver
Bourne demonstrates a voice of his own in a dance language that truly creates character, atmosphere and tells a storyThe Sunday Express
Another witty update of a ballet classicSunday Times
Those who thought they wouldn’t be seen dead at dance have succumbed to its visceral thrill via the sheer drama of Bourne’s best workIndependent on Sunday
Bourne has a brilliant sense of body language, and he builds it into narrative dances. There's a wonderful wedding march - all the characters prancing forward at top speed, each giving the steps an individual twistThe Independent
These Sylphs are magical, filthy, amoral and dangerous, and they’ve never looked more compelling. This revival shows Highland Fling to be much more than a witty and subversive raid on ballet historyThe Guardian
Best of all is the sheer idea ..... For behind Bourne’s wicked giggles, his choreographic smirks... lies a darkly romantic heartThe Times
No other choreographer pulls such a crowd - Gorgeous gothic reading. An exquisite evening outTime Out
Thank heaven for Matthew Bourne. A wonder to behold - a must!Independent
A Sleeping Beauty for today, one conceived especially for the young and those young at heartThe Spectator
Sleeping Beauty... rendered in absolutely exquisite styleDaily Telegraph
The hottest ticket in townSunday Express
Lez Brotherston’s wonderful designs. Darkly, wickedly fabulous. Ravishes the eyeThe Observer
Britain's most successful choreographer will blow your mind with his sheer imagination, wit and brioLondon Times
Tchaikovsky’s intoxicating music comes magically to life through Bourne’s theatrical inventiveness and richly textured choreographyThe Spectator
A tightly choreographed delightMetro
Brilliantly designed, plenty of style and incident, clean as a whistle in executionThe Independent on Sunday
Sumptuous, dramatic, eerie and captivating, the list of approving adjectives could go on and on. A many splendoured thingThe Scottish Herald
A production with a beating heart and a twinkle in its eyeDaily Telegraph
Lez Brotherston’s designs are magnificentThe Independent
Luscious, dramatic and smart. Visually sumptuous and action-packedSunday Times
This Sleeping Beauty is destined to wake up and find itself a worldwide smash-hitMail on Sunday
Lez Brotherston’s sets are handsome, the costumes are utterly exquisiteSunday Telegraph
Looks great thanks to the flamboyant design genius of Lez BrotherstonLondon Times
Bourne the great showman. He brings a wide audience who would not have thought before of coming to danceEvening Standard
Bourne is a masterly storytellerNew York Times
Theatrically effective, sometimes even brilliant. This is Bourne at his bestNew York Times
Visually extraordinary - Bourne is the great communicator of dance.The Review Show, BBC
Sumptuous sets and costumesIndependent on Sunday
A superbly balanced, eye-grabbing combination of first rate choreography, effectively constructed drama and sheer entertainmentThe Spectator
Stunning. Raunchy, mesmerising, utterly compellingNewcastle Chronicle
Terrific. Simply fizzes with originality. I defy anyone not to be seduced by the tale of lust, murder and betrayalDaily Telegraph
A humping, pumping, thumping fat hitDaily Telegraph
Steamy set pieces that sizzle with sex and humour. This is Bourne cooking on gasMetro
One of the best performances of the yearLos Angeles Times
The interplay of violence and desire becomes so combustible you flinch from the heat. The Car Man drives with an urgency that has our nerves and hearts at full stretchGuardian
A hotbed of Latin lust. BrilliantSunday Times
Mesmerising. The Car Man is a triumphSunday Times
Fasten your seat belts! A theatrical tour de force: fast, funny, physical, sexy and violentculturevulture.com
Magnificent. So bright with wit and so fraught with emotional subtext that it's hard to believe not a line of dialogue has been spokenGuardian
Bourne's graphically expressive choreography re-imagines passion noir with dramatic flairHerald Scotland
Glamorous, sexy, funny and dangerous. A triumph!Evening Standard
Gripping. Explosive. EroticMail on Sunday
Superb, witty, drop-dead-sexyDaily Telegraph
Paris Fitzpatrick is a wonderful Romeo, tender-hearted and heartbreakingly out of his depth. Cordelia Braithwaite is a beautiful and doomed Juliet, a young woman who moves with a fleet grace and a sense of unhinged desperationThe Times
The extreme youth of the cast makes it all the more heartbreaking at the end.Fiona Bruce
ThrillingSunday Express
Bourne and his superb dancers inject visceral new life into Shakespeare's star crossed young lovers. Pure joyThe Observer
Brutally mesmerising, and I mean brutal. In a good way.Lee Mack
The piece is, from beginning to end, stunningly danced [...] Full of insight and invention, this is a thrilling rethinking of this tale of woe.The Guardian
Romeo and Juliet was so breathtakingly brilliant, mind blowing, tragic and beautiful all at the same time. Innovative and inspired as alwaysHarriet Thorpe
Had the most amazing evening watching Romeo and Juliet at Sadler's Wells - congratulations to everyone involved. Beautiful, moving, imaginative and thoroughly impressiveArthur Darvill
The Bard used words to create poetry for his Romeo and Juliet. Movement and dance tell the tale with equal passion and great beauty. Thank you for an amazing nightDustin Lance Black
A classic in his own right gut wrenching, emotional, charged reinvention of the story for a new generation. Outstanding achievementBruno Tonioli
Fitzpatrick and Braithwaite [...] are a superb lead pair; their balcony scene duet is a truly touching lip-locked tumble of desperationTime Out
Electrifying entertainment, a brilliantly inventive reinvention of a story that feels scintillatingly new. Right up there with the smartest, sexiest, most stirring shows that Bourne has ever createdDaily Telegraph
A seismic youthquake. A Romeo and Juliet for the millennial generationThe Stage
With the dance world so awash in productions of Romeo and Juliet its refreshing to find one that so completely upends our expectationsThe Times
a superb night's entertainment, guaranteed to send you out with heart pumping and feelings running highThe I
Bourne’s masterful reimagining bursts with raw, youthful energy. Get in line for those return tickets nowEvening Standard
astounding theater from Mr. Bourne, offering blazing energy from his terrific castNew York Times
Bourne reframes taut Shakespeare tale as a story of young people against a uniformly oppressive systemThe Independent
beautifully composed, highly original and danced with great passionBachtrack
an extremely talented and resilient cast of young performers […] unmissableUpstaged Manchester
The young lovers dance and kiss like no-one is watching. At times we wonder if we should avert our eyes to give them some privacy […] This new ballet deserves to be the defining production for today’s teenagersI Love Manchester
It’s fantastic to see Bourne nurturing the next generation of dancers. Bourne's choreography is typically flawlessNot Exactly Billington
the single most eagerly awaited dance show of 2019The Telegraph
the dancers were flawlessThe Telegraph & Argus
the cast opened up Prokofiev's amazing music and gave it life [...] no simple recreation of Shakespeare's text, but a completely new imagining, taking the original text, opening it up for a new generation & adding layers of drama of its ownYorkshire Times
left the theatre wonderstruck by one of those rare theatrical experiences that will stay in your memory for a very long timeOn:Yorkshire Magazine
simply breathtakingOn:Yorkshire Magazine
an extremely talented cast that will keep you mesmerisedLeicestershire Live
truly exciting from beguiling beginning to tragic endEast Midlands Theatre
Extraordinary dancing unleashes the power and beauty of Tchaikovsky’s musicThe Irish Times
It was so moving. Thank you for all of your artistry and dedication. So inspiring!Amy Adams
I've never seen anything like this. I'm in love!Liza Minnelli
an extraordinary evening of danceMitzi Gaynor
Matthew Bourne's Cinderella dances into WWII with a profound beautyLos Angeles Times
nothing short of brilliant. The imagery, choreography, cast, music and performance was jaw droppingAva Cantrell
a beautifully reimagined CinderellaGabrielle Ruiz
breathtaking, magical and grounded in just enough reality to feel necessary for this timeShoniqua Shandai
A love letter to a life in the theatre, to dance in particular, and obliquely, to cinema too. The Red Shoes feels like a personal statement from a knight of the realm preparing to mark 30 years of dance-makingThe Arts Desk
A bewitching central performance from Ashley Shaw. A star is BourneEvening Standard
Swan Lake remains a deliciously subversive watchAttitude
Stunning...TimelessWashington Post
Enter without preconceptions and emerge amazedThe Charlotte Observer
Gene Kelly-like athleticismThe Charlotte Observer
A story that rings true, that unfolds with perfect pacing and panache, and that lives and breathes Tchaikovsky's musictheartsdesk
strong storytelling and a charged emotional core ensured that Swan Lake flew, and continues to flyThe Observer
still a marvel - “The legend returns”, posters declare, and for once it’s not just hypeIndependent
one of contemporary dance’s most iconic images: the black-crested, bare-chested male swanEvening Standard
the production remains as vital as ever, alive with intricate detail and soaring physicalityThe Stage
Bourne is not just a choreographer of dance, but an engineer of theatrical experiences that move and exciteBroadwayWorld
Financial Times
a mould-breaking brand, a business that has redefined its sector and – in many ways – Bourne is the uber choreographer since he has done more than anyone over the past 25 years to shift the dance theatre paradigmDanceTabs
as fresh as everDanceTabs
one of the most successful modern dance works around todayThe Sunday Express
Bourne's Swan Lake continues to exert a hold on audiencesThe Times
still flutterly amazingMetro
Just go.The Telegraph
Two decades on, Bourne’s Swan Lake still retains its powerThe Guardian
Bourne’s supremacy as a storyteller is unparalleledBachtrack
I just took my mum to Matthew Bourne‘s Swan Lake & she already wants to go again! Even if you think you hate ballet or classical music or even any kind of theatre whatsoever you will love this. I promise. This show is PURE MAGIC.David Walliams
Mathew Bournes Swan Lake is magnificent... if you don't see it you are missing a special moment in the theatreLulu
A phenomenal Swan Lake last night not least by the performances of the two leads. Matthew Ball dangerously smouldering and Liam Mower heartbreaking fragility as the prince. Everyone must see this work even if you've seen it beforeArlene Phillips
I’ve been around the block a bit and I’m struggling to think of a more inventive and astonishing evening on a stage.This is a major event in our culture. Without question a masterpiece - thrillingJason Watkins
Classy, superb and thrillingBonnie Langford
Blown away by the whole cast of Swan Lake, absolutely stunning showOre Oduba
Heart and face full of joy from watching Swan Lake. Truly phenomenal. The gasps of awe & wonder from the audience.... Pure magicZoe Ball
I award the masterpiece Swan Lake a gazillion points for passion, sensuality, mischief & exquisite, heart-breaking beautyKathy Lette
The the most sensational production of Swan Lake, so beautiful and moving along with moments of brilliant and painful humour with faultless fabulous cast and creativesHarriet Thorpe
Well New Adventures [Swan Lake] was breathtaking! Utterly beautiful. I feel honoured to have seen it.Daniel Brocklebank
Swan Lake is a delight. It transcends ballet. You’ll want to rewind and watch it all over againManchester Evening News
This latest restaging is performed gorgeously throughout, not least in the audible, as well as visible, energy of Bourne’s bevy of beautiful swans.The Herald on Sunday
A show that ostensibly puts a love story between two men centre stage, & receives a standing ovation from over 2,000 people, has to be applaudedThe List
Prepare to be whisked away in the energy and beauty of The Red Shoes and its amazing cast, production design, and overall energy of dance.Huffington Post
Swan Lake touches the soul - it’s also very funny, fabulously cool and just a bit devastatingEdinburgh News
as visually (and emotively) compelling as everThe Herald
[Matthew Bourne] has filled the theatre with warmth and love, qualities often lacking on the chillier shores of contemporary workSarah Crompton for The Sunday Times
a deserved classicTime Out
You'll not see a wittier, more seductive, all encompassing piece of theatre on the touring circuit. Play Without Words has left me without words, it simply blew me away.BBC Norfolk
a show to thrill any dance lover ... pure qualityDaily Express
all the passion and intrigue of a stage play without any dialogueLondonist
Bourne's masterpiece - a giddy, sexy, diabolical confection that deserves to become a global smashThe Arts Desk
Revolutionary? You betcha.Variety
The cast, full of Bourne regulars, is magnificent. The period detail is superb. Stylish, witty and very moving. Bourne’s most original work.Independent
impossible not to be seducedThe Telegraph
For some of these cast members, this is the first time they've ever performed on stage in front of a packed house and their expressions as they look out and process their first standing ovation during the curtain call is moving beyond belief.The Music
A shining example to other companies on how to create greater inclusion within a communityAustralian Arts Review
This community we see on stage is Australia's community - the cast thrive in the choreographyThe Guardian
Seamlessly blends amateur and professional castsThe Australian
Lord of the flies is energetic, intriguing and accessible contemporary danceLimelight Magazine
Opened with a bang - closed to a standing ovation. Terrific!Australian Book Review
Young dancers throw themselves into this work with energy and dedicationThe Age
Matthew Bourne's Lord of the Flies, in all its ferocious and tender glory, is a visceral experience unlike anything else - distinguishing the professional cast from the newcomers is near impossibleHerald Sun
a show you could and should see 100 timesBroadway World
A truly outstanding companyHerald Scotland
Quirky, funny and accessibleThe Scotsman
Sexy and dangerous as ever, the Bourne swan dominates a dance-theatre classicThe Arts Desk
This Swan Lake is still original and still unmissable.Metro
Bourne is a wizard at reinventing the classics into modern masterpieces with his inimitable sense of satirical wit, rich imagination and theatrical visionEdinburgh Guide
Bourne greatly impresses and speaks to all generationsShetland News
a great testament to Bourne’s fine-tuned combination of theatrical imagination, choreographic intelligence and bountiful humourExeunt Magazine
Mower is a highly accomplished dancerThe Observer
Uplifting, tender, hilariousHuffington Post
Yet another outstanding workScotsGay Arts
Funny, romantic and tragic in equal proportionsSouthside Advertiser
Matthew Bourne's Highland Fling is filled with ironic wit, elegance and startling energyThe Telegraph
an unlikely and brilliant combination of slapstick humour and eleganceThe Telegraph
A show that’ll leave you as dazed as a night out on the Glasgow tiles. This is one fling you won’t forget.Sunday Post
A joyous rompThe Stage
Pure dead hilariousThe Herald
to literally bring the house down left me completely in awe and brought West End production values to LiverpoolLiverpool Echo
Matthew Bourne's choreography is pure brilliance as he really knows how to captivate an audience through dance.Liverpool Echo
Ashley Shaw gives a poignantly lovable performance as the put-upon Cinderella - an utterly absorbing experienceNottingham Post
The whole talented New Adventures ensemble can’t put a foot wrong in this superbly crafted realisation of the romantic tale of Cinderella finding her ‘prince’ through the thick and thin of wartime Britain.East Midlands Theatre
Experiencing a Matthew Bourne ballet is like indulging in a whole box of Christmas crackers from Harrods - stuffed with surprises.DC Theatre Scene
To tell a story without words is a rare gift, one Bourne and New Adventures use to create a magical world you will never want to leave.Daily Telegraph
Bourne may be a genius, but his triumphs are only possible thanks to a hugely talented and dynamic cast that enable his visions to come to life.Broadway World
Bourne, the Pied Piper of modern classical danceBrightest Young Things
It blew us away!Nigel Lythgoe
What a lovely experience! I love the film and now, WOW! This!Misty Copeland
With admiration, awe and privileged to have been in the audience. Will not soon or ever forgetSarah Jessica Parker
This is just everything…more, more, moreAlan Cumming
Thank you for sharing your spirits, your bodies and your hearts. Beautifully told and a pleasure to seeBen Platt
I cannot thank you enough for an unforgettable performance of one of my favourite storiesSir Daniel Day Lewis
Brotherston’s costumes and set design have often been described as 'sumptuous' or 'dramatic' - I'd call them breathtaking. What you see on stage is detailed, explosive (literally!) and effective beyond belief.Black Country Radio
Madelaine Brennan is glamourous yet threatening as the StepmotherWhat's On Magazine
Nicole Kabera conveys subtle sophistication as carefree stepsister VivienWhat's On Magazine
Ashley Shaw is at the heart of this production, dazzling in the title roleWhat's On Magazine
This is a show for every single member of the family, whether you’re passionate about dance or if this is your first trip to the theatreStyle Birmingham
Matthew Bourne, whose Swan Lake famously rewrote the ballet rulebook, has turned his sights on this other archetypal tale, and the result is quite simply stunning... the cheering audience and standing ovation at the end said it allLichfield Live
beyond breathtaking... every scene is beautiful, with a great mixture of realism and fantasyBrum Hour
this clever subversion of the Swan Lake story still works for ballet aficionados and dance first-timers alikeEvening Standard
the most astonishing dance dramas of our timeBirmingham Post
Its confidence, cleverness, fluent choreography and real emotion make it the perfect treat for Christmas – or any time of year.The Telegraph
wonderfully entertainingThe Guardian
a maverick showman, mining his own highly coloured seam of nostalgia and pasticheThe Guardian
a breath of fresh airFinancial Times
Dance-Theatre marvel, Matthew Bourne… one of dance’s true originalsThe Telegraph
Within seconds of the first piece starting, I was smiling. Within minutes, I had laughed out loud. What might be called the Bourne Effect was beginning to work.The Telegraph
If you haven't seen ballet before this is the type of ballet you should come and see, you'll fall in love with itJason Watkins
Matthew is able to express story, love and passion without any words. When you can transcend like that, you transcend language, you transcend boundaries and you go straight to the heartDustin Lance Black
You get the story you love, but with a completely different twist, so you never know what's coming around the cornerDouglas Booth
Anybody will get it and that really is the magic of itBruni Tonioli
Matthew strikes a chord with everybody and you don't necessarily have to be a ballet aficionado for this to really hit youOre Oduba
I think what Matthew does that's so great, is he appeals to young and old and that's not easy to do.Lulu
It was such a spectacle. Magical!Ophelia Lovibond
It was exceptional, inspiring and deeply emotional.Susan Calman
It's the scenes, it's the acting, it's the costumes. Just gorgeous!Louise Redknapp
It was sensational. Beautiful, beautiful choreography!Andrew Marr
Such a beautiful show with so much talentTab Hunter
I'd go anywhere for Matthew Bourne. I'll see everything and anything that he doesMinnie Driver
Staggering! What he does is contemporary and classic at the same time - and fiendishly different. He just follows his muse, and the result is spectacularMichael Feinstein
It was terrific!David Hockney
Thank you for a miraculous evening. Sheer joy and excellenceDame Angela Lansbury
Get your behind to whatever coast you cant to see this incredible work of beauty. The entire, extraordinary company blow an audience out of the stratosphereAdam Shankman
An enthralling experience for dance audiences old and newBirmingham What’s On
It is delightful. Bourne keeps you thinking all the way home.The Reviews Hub
Hats off to Matthew Bourne. This touching wartime romance is a ballroom blitz.Express & Star
Bourne has got under Prokofiev's skin and produced a work of art in danceSunday Express
Clever, clever Bourne. He sprinkles his stage with the stardust of fairytale romance, but he gives his story a proper tear-jerking heft by reminding us that darkness always surrounds the starsThe Guardian
Plenty to marvel at in this gorgeous spectacleMail On Sunday
Bourne’s dancers are once again on top of their gameThe Guardian
a rewarding but thoughtful theatrical treatBachtrack
one of Bourne's most accomplished and polished retellings to dateBroadwayWorld
energetic, and fired off with typical brio by those super New Adventures dancersThe Telegraph
storytelling of the highest order and brilliantly served by the dancersWhatsOnStage
Matthew Bourne works his magic. Blissful.The Daily Telegraph
Simply magicalMetro
The experience of a life timeBirmingham Hippodrome Review Roundup
What a story, what show, what a night.94.7 The Wave
A beautiful and perfect, wordless essay on these lives and timesIndependent
A masterclass in how to have witty and wonderful fun with tchaikovsky's iconic balletThe Times
Bourne laces his glittering confection with the wit and sly humour that’s become his trademark… it’s like watching a selection box sparkle into lifeMetro
Hats off to Matthew Bourne. His nutcracker! Is the most enjoyable and clever staging imaginableThe Times
It is a production that can appeal to children and the most hardened of dance fiendsFinancial Times
More clever ideas than any other 10 versions put togetherTime Out
So pretty, so funny, so frisky and good-hearted – has just about everything desirable in a christmas show. Very few ballet productions send you home feeling as good about life as this oneDaily Telegraph
The best it has ever beenGuardian
Three cheers for Matthew Bourne, three more for his version of the nutcracker... A brilliant family showEvening Standard
Absolutely glorious, it’s a brave thing to do to take a favourite, iconic film and turn it into a ballet like that. Unbelievable.Jennifer Saunders
Amazing... The dance was just beautiful!Gorka Marquez
Astounding. Beg, steal or borrow a ticket.Christopher Biggins
Enthralling. Richly satisfying.The Guardian
Everything about it is magicalChronicle Live
He’s done it again…incredibly powerful and intoxicating - I couldn't recommend it enough!Douglas Booth
Natural bourne thriller. SuperbSunday Times
Nobody does it better than bourne. A joyride of sweat, seduction and murderDaily Telegraph
Bowled over by this ballet masterpieceManchester Evening News
Quite simply blown away by tonight’s performances, it was perfectly sublimeNorth West End
Superb female dancing in act three is icing on the cakeIrish Times
Swan lake is a tsunami of creativity that crashes about the senses in an evening of unbridled exhilarationPlymouth Herald
The dancing is exquisite, varied, sexy and simply stunningBirmingham Mail
The sheer breadth of physicality, emotionally underpinning this production is overwhelming and it’s novelty as fresh as ever’Belfast Telegraph
Undeniably entertainingLos Angeles Times
Exhilarating. This modern re-telling of william golding’s classic is a breath-taking triumphWow 247 (Glasgow)
Extraordinary. You are simply gripped by the power and emotion of the storytellingDaily Telegraph
Golding’s tale lives on... Lost boys raise the roof!London Evening Standard
It is, quite simply, fabulous theatre: gripping from first to lastArts Desk
It succeeds brilliantlyThe Express
New adventures have brought lord of the flies to life in brilliant, completely original fashion, and the result is a wholly absorbing, regularly thrilling dance extravaganza’Dudley News
Quite literally breathtakingManchester Evening News
The great accomplishment of the production is its seamless integration of amateur and professional dancers...An impressive achievementThe Guardian
A great show, witty, timely, beautifully designed, sometimes chilling, hugely entertainingScotsman
One of the hot tickets of the yearEvening Standard
Bourne delights with his incredible imagination.Huffington Post
Bourne’s exuberant re-imagining. An action packed evening greeted with cheersThe Times
Ravishing. The choreography is a joy. Bourne’s got another hit on his handsScotsman
Strikingly fresh....Witty, inventive and touchingMail On Sunday
Tongue in cheek humour, contemporary references and accessible theatrical danceTime Out
As a piece of theatre and as a piece of dance, this is hard to surpass. Sexy, sassy, superbNewcastle Chronicle
Beautifully paced, directed and lit, swan lake is a must-see’Edinburgh Evening News
Matthew Bourne’s early adventures shows all his trademark wit, originality and eye for detail. UnmissableObserver
Plenty of charm and mischiefDaily Telegraph
Quite simply blown away by tonight’s performances, it was perfectly sublimeNorth West End
There’s little enough outright joy in the world these days, so thanks to sir Matthew Bourne for providing a large slice with his early adventures.The Fine Times Recorder
Undeniably entertainingLos Angeles Times
Witty, moving, originalJo Trigg, Twitter Follower
Wicked and compulsively watchableTime Out
A compelling adaptationGuardian Australia
A remarkable achievementThe Scotsman
A remarkable project. It’s the electrifying intensity generated by the entire cast that makes this such an exciting experienceMail On Sunday
A stunning production packed with action, driven on by vibrant music and dramatic lighting – the youngsters are so full of excitement you can almost touch the atmosphere glowing and flowing from the stage.Liverpool Daily Post
A superbly visceral version of golding’s novel... AstonishingThe Herald
A triumph by any standards. Originally staged, tightly directed and searingly performedFinancial Times
Ambler’s raw and dramatic choreographyMail On Sunday
An enjoyable, memorable and thought-provoking productionStv
Bourne and his team have made william golding's novel seem modern, fresh and the choreography is just incredibleTorquay Herald Express
Bourne at his bestPlymouth Herald
Bourne captures schoolboys bloodlust brilliantly. Marvellously directedGuardian, Judith Mackrell
Enthralling. A triumphCoventry Telegraph
Matthew Bourne has brought dance to the masses like nobody elseThe Scotsman
Matthew Bourne is a whirlwind. He's a dynamo, a powerhouse, a force of nature. He has created the busiest ballet company on earth and turned britain into the world's leading exporter of dance theatreThe Spectator
Probably the world's most successful choreographerNew Yorker
Quite brilliant... An inspirationBarbra Streisand
RapturousGeoffrey Rush
Stunning! The company was brilliantSusan Stroman
Truly one of the most engaging things that I've ever seen on the stage, laden with wit and charm and the very cleverest of visual storytellingRowan Atkinson
Welcome to the bourne supremacy. His shows capture international audiences by telling classic stories with a twist - cheeky, accessible but with a powerful emotional undertowThe Sunday Times
What a stunning show Matthew Bourne has created. This must be the most heartwarming and sophisticatedly rewarding show in london. A magnificent show and bourne's finest hourIsmene Brown (Arts Desk)
You represent the past, present and future of danceShirley Maclaine
You're all bloody brilliantTracy Ullman
Dorian gray is a slick, chic crowd-pleaser …even more appropriate to our self-regarding society than to the dandyish days of 1891Variety
A feast for all the sensesAmanda Jones, Twitter Follower
A timeless delightLos Angeles Blade
A truly fulfilling and entertaining nightSeeing Dance
An effervescent delightEntertainment Today
As original as it is unmissableGuardian
Bearing all the hallmarks of wit, irony, sarcasm and signature camp humour, it is both mesmerizingly good and notoriously funny.Bath Chronicle
Bold, eccentric and fun, Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures continue to reclaim dance as a popular art form.Swindon Advertiser & Wiltshire Times
Both witty and unexpectedly touching. This triple bill is crisp, lively and brightly dancedIndependent
Bourne at his saucy, satirical bestThe Times
Dazzling, daft and delightfulWirral Globe
DelightfulPedro Almodovar
Generously spirited, archly witty, sublimely beautiful tableaux of short storiesBath Magazine
A big-hearted ballroom blitz. Cinders sets the stage alight in Matthew Bourne's wartime revivalThe Observer
A dazzling spectacle. Fresh and vital, hilarious, profound and stunningly original. Bourne's incomparable theatrical flair adds up to a compelling entertainmentThe Times
A gripping theatrical spectacle. Bourne does something wonderful: he scatters love, like fairydust. This cinderella turns into another kind of fairytale – the miracle of love in warGuardian
A perfect, warming christmas treatDaily Telegraph
A spectacular piece of stagingDaily Express
A work of considerable geniusInternational Herald Tribune
Bourne's talent for translating most everything he comes across - theatre, film, literature and life - into the idiom of dance comes vibrantly alive in this passionate, witty and tender retelling of the classic storyThe Hollywood Reporter
British dance's runaway success storyThe Observer
Cinderella fills me with optimism for the future of dance. Let's celebrate Matthew Bourne, the great showman of british dance.Daily Telegraph
Cinderella sparkles with the same clever pop art visuals, wry cultural observations and propulsive narrative drive. Truly inspired storytellingThe Los Angeles Daily News
Dazzling images. A wonderful conceptVariety
Dazzling. Seduces the senses and touches the heartSan Francisco Observer
Demolishing conventions, bestriding art forms from ballet to musical comedy to film, bourne's work isn't just high-brow or low-brow. It's all-brow.Time Magazine
I can't get over the joy you've given me... TerrificGlynis Johns
A valentine to the power of loveLA Times
At Bourne's best, the action is tied so directly to the music, it's as if prokofiev wrote the score just for him. This 'cinderella' has enough romance, fantasy and fun to keep us hooked.Time Out
Beautiful in every wayMitzi Gaynor
I will never miss a production under your chargeJack Nicholson
New Adventures is attracting new audiences in unprecedented numbers, drawn to their dramatic way of combining film imagery and elements of musical comedy, theatre and balletWashington Times
Wonderful. Bourne's vision is gloriousDaily Telegraph
Dorian Gray is bourne again. A 21st-century makeover that works astoundingly well.Metro
Joyous and entertainingThe Stage
Enchanting. The perfect treat for all the family.The Times
Full of wit and invention. A joyful theatre experience.Whatsonstage
Straight from the heart. A stunning finale that knocks you sideways.Metro
Stunning! The wonders keep coming in Bourne’s magical version of the Tim Burton classic.The Observer
Truly magical. A show for lovers of dance, musicals, film and everything in between.The Scotsman
A Bourne again classicThe Guardian
This is one of the funniest, funkiest, most irresistibly infectious ballets I have ever had the delight of sitting throughDaily Mail
An exhilaratingly ingenious updating of the novelGuardian
Freshness, excitement and brilliant theatrical inventionLA Times
Wonderful. Bourne’s clever gothic re-write. Beguiling and trueThe Guardian
Witty, menacing, lyrical and wildDaily Telegraph
A cosmic, effervescent, thrilling synergy of set design, dance and music, the red shoes is an unmissable, unforgettable theatrical experience.365 Bristol
A deliciously lubricious spectacle. Tuned to perfectionTime Out
A feast for the eye, animated by sharp detail and witty characterisation. The red shoes will be dancing for years to come.Observer
A gorgeous take on a film classicThe Times
A masterpiece. The design, music, storytelling & choreography are exceptional. And it's beautifully danced by all.Peter Polycarpou
A sizzling bourne adventure. Sultry perfection. See itObserver
A steamy melodrama that’s just right for sultry summer nights’Evening Standard
Ashley shaw was breathtaking, & the entire show truly enchanting!!Janette Manrara
Bourne at his bestSunday Express
Bourne’s gift for storytelling dazzlesTime Out
Congratulations Matthew Bourne for your magical the red shoes. Breathtakingly beautiful.Ioan Gruffudd
Electrifying, a dynamite dance of desireDaily Mail
Full of passion, drama and romance, and performed by an outstanding cast against a stunning and innovative setThe Reviews Hub
He really is an absolute master and that is a masterpiece.Mathew Horne
It delivers a supremely and inventively slick entertainment: at its best it drills down to a hard core of emotional truthGuardian
Lively, inventive and beautifully designed – the red shoes triumphsThe Sunday Times
Matthew Bourne has redefined ballet, he’s reinvented it for today.David Suchet
Matthew Bourne’s finest achievement to dateThe Stage
Matthew Bourne’s fun and feisty dance thrillerThe Times
One of the best films I saw this year wasn’t a film – it was Matthew Bourne’s ballet the red shoes at sadler’s wellsMark Kermode - Film Critic
Red hot! A night to remember.Baz Bamigboye
Red shoes blew my mind; it’s magical, it’s entertaining, it’s a beautiful story.Karen Clifton
So experimental and unusual… the mixture of broadway in the middle of it all… a great combination of things.Richard E. Grant
Sumptuous. Beautifully told, and full of vivid incidentWhatsonstage
The cultural event of the year. Joy, wit, incredible skill from this remarkable company!Jason Watkins
The red shoes fizzes with imagination and personalityBedfordshire On Sunday
The red shoes is a luscious modern fairy taleEntertainment Weekly
The red shoes is brilliantly cinematic! Matthew Bourne is such a brilliant storyteller!Paula Abdul
What a wonderful evening. Great dancing, acting, choreography, lighting, sets, music! Bravo! Brava!Barbra Streisand
Bourne’s brilliant retelling...A superb adaptation of william golding’s novel. ThrillingIndependent
Absolutely amazing and the choreography is brilliant; it’s so exciting and so full of vitality.Anne Reid
Absolutely beguiling and funny and beautiful.Caroline Quentin
Achingly beautiful.Patricia Ward Kelly
An outstanding production. Fabulous evening.Darcey Bussell
Another triumph for Matthew Bourne & his company.Elaine Paige
Awesome!Tom Daley
Gobsmackingly touching!Adam Cooper
It is dance theatre at its very finest.Barry Humphries
It's funny & thrilling & magical. A stunning piece of dance theatre. Go!David Walliams
Mesmerising, edgy and beautiful. Matthew Bourne is a genius.Anneka Rice
Spellbinding, stunning, Matthew Bourne continues to amaze in partnership with lez brotherston again, creating unforgettable theatreBruno Tonioli
Thank you Matthew Bourne for a night of dance my daughter won’t forget. 10 stars!Jeremy Vine
Where to begin the praise of the red shoes? It's astounding in every facet. In short, it will enhance your life!Adam Garcia