Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake 2005 Japan Tour Review

March 12th (Sat) 18:00�@Orchard Hall

The Swan/The Stranger Jason Piper
The Prince Yasuyuki Shuto
The Queen Oxana Panchenko
The Girlfriend Leigh Daniels
The Private Secretary Alan Mosley
The Young Prince Gav Parsand

Act 1
Danced by Yasuyuki Shuto, the uniform outfit for the Prince suits so much to him. Yasu dressed in white looks so decadant and fascinating. Although he looks very fragile and frail as the other princes are, there is some strength and smartness in his atmosphere. His uniform represents the mask that hides his nature. When he takes off his jacket, he looks as though he is showing us his naked heart and soul by taking off what was hiding him from the world. That disturbs the audiences' mind. I felt some guiltiness, as though I had seen something that I was banned from seeing. The pas de deux with the queen seemed quite dangerous and desperate, with a touch of incest.

The Swank Bar scene. The Pimp, that looks like a guy from Blacksploitation films such as Superfly, was danced by Hendrick January, so cool and funkily! The Schoolboy was performed by Gav Parsand and was very sweet. The Fandancers' dance was very queer and at the same time, very funny. The choreography for this sequence seems to have changed a lot, thus it is so interesting to repeat this stage. The drunk Prince, dragged by the sailors, is still very elegant in his movement. And the solo of the Prince is gentle, introverted but flexible and beautiful.


Act 2
Jason Piper's acting has grown very emotional and his expression has sharpened so much. The combination with Yasu was in such a harmony. Yasu's dance was danced with delicacy and nobleness, and Jason, though they share the same choreography at the coda, was like an animal and was wild which made a perfect contrast and harmony at the same time. Jason is just marvellous! he has now found his original, attractive Swan.

Although Jason looked a little tired at the latter half of the act, his strong emotions seems to cover that. You can see how the distance between the Swan and the Prince becoming closer and closer as they drift in the dark.

The Swan, with his charisma stands out clearly from the rest of the pack of swans. At the opening night, Jason's swan was like just one naughty guy of the gang. Now, he is standing in solitude with grace and dignity. Now he looks like a holy and fierce beast, wild and free. His eyes are strong and sharp.

Jason's Swan is not classical therefore not so flexible nor smooth, but he has such strength and power, and most of all, pure passion. With his strong energy and charisma, he gives life to the lonely and desparate prince. He attracts the Prince to come with him, at first aggressively. But then he becomes more gentle and positive, in accord with the awakening of the Prince. As the Prince is liberated, the Swan also free his soul and hide his claws, as though a ray of light wraps him. He acts like a elder brother to the Prince. "Come with me, to our new world" the Swan invites the Prince, and the Prince accepts this love.

The Prince's dance, performed gracefully by Yasu was just breathtakingly beautiful. Especially at the coda of Act2, when the Prince's movements synchronize with the Swan. The Swan and the Prince make symmetrical movements, and Yasu's dance is so elegant and valiant making a perfect harmony. His arms and toes are lively and it seems as though his body has turned into wings. Wonderful leaps representing life. The Prince, in Act 1 was dancing close to the ground, but now something from the sky pulls him up and he is singing the joy to be alive. He now realizes the beauty and the grace that he had been gifted since his birth, but hardly recongnized. The Prince is singing out his new beginning, he is living in a world filled with the joy to live his own life.


(to be continued)