'Radical' - Review: Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Theatre Royal, Glasgow
Decades on, and Bourne's globally-celebrated Swan Lake continues to surprise and delight audiences.Those visually-striking male swans, bare-torso'd in their white, frondy britches, have a lithe synchronicity that melds grace and muscularity with an edge of feral menace - no wonder the vulnerable misfit Prince (Leonardo McCorkindale) is as entranced as we are when the Swan (Jackson Fisch) comes unexpectedly close to him… Their ensuing duets resonate with a burgeoning trust and tenderness that is markedly absent from the Prince's life at court.
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Bourne's knack for nuanced story-telling ensures we swiftly grasp the hidden desires, self-interest, insidious manipulation and callous indifference that prevail there - Katrina Lyndon's Queen is a prime example of this, uncaringly cold towards her son, openly hot towards any man who takes her fancy. Some tongue-in-cheek details are, perhaps, no longer timely but they nonetheless conjure up a persuasive context for what tragically unfolds.
Bourne has tagged this 30th Anniversary tour as 'The Next Generation' - many of those on-stage weren't even born when Swan Lake was devised! From first to last, they do him proud, keeping meticulous faith with his intentions and his choreographic invention. Lez Brotherston's designs remain wonderfully sympathetic to Bourne's creative impulses: the swan costumes are now iconic.
Thirty years on, and this Swan Lake not only seizes the audience's imagination - it captures their hearts as well.
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Daily Mirror
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9 fashion and beauty picks to snap up before they sell out
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Nisha's picks: Nobody's Child tie-dye co-ord - from £49 I've never really tapped into the boho trend, but this summer could be the time. I spotted this tie-dye printed co-ord on Nobody's Child earlier this week, and haven't stopped thinking about it since. The set comprises a long, floaty, tiered skirt and a dainty, spaghetti-strap cami top. The skirt has an elasticated waist and pockets (£99). and the matching camisole (£49) rouches in at the waist. It encapsulates fashionable yet effortlessly chic. I plan on wearing the navy set in the UK on hot days and when I go on holiday in September. However, it would also look nice paired with cowboy boots at a festival. If I were to pinpoint a downside, it would be the length of the skirt. Despite being advertised as midi length, it's ankle length on the model, who is 5'7. It will be too long for people who opt for petite lengths (usually 5'4 and below) unless they don't mind paying extra to get it tailored. Next's linen trophy jacket - £64 Rochelle Humes has been expanding her collection with Next ahead of summer, with lots of new additions landing on the website this week. One such release is this neutral-hue Cotton-Linen Blend Trophy Jacket. It's always wise to have a jacket on hand for unexpected downpours, and the blend of cotton and linen material makes it lightweight enough to ensure wearers don't overheat. It has a structured fit, a collarless design and four faux pockets. Size 6 is currently out of stock, but sizes 8-26 are available. One shopper opted to size down, writing: "Lovely material. Very on-trend. Great length to wear with jeans, a skirt or trousers. It can be dressed up or down. It's quite a generous size. I tried size 14 first but sized down to 12." Another buyer noted issues with the sleeve length but resorted to folding them up instead of returning them. On Next's website, Rochelle models the linen trophy jacket with light-wash jeans and ballet flats. 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Daily Mirror
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