It’s the ultimate production: audacious, dubious, controversial and tantalisingly titivating but, 30 years on from when it first rocked the ballet world, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is still as fresh and groundbreaking as it was when it premiered at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 1995.

And it leaves you almost breathless with delight because there is so much going on at any given moment on the stage, that you barely know where to feast your eyes.

Across three decades Bourne’s ‘all male’ interpretation has been dubbed a groundbreaking sensation, a controversial folly and even the first ‘gay’ ballet.

However, with the passing of time, it is safe to say that the bad boy of ballet’s work – contemporary dancer, Michael Clark had a similar reputation for provocative choreography – now enjoys status as a ‘family favourite’. Quite a journey!

And last night’s production at Bradford’s Alhambra was simply brilliant; engaging from start to finish.

I last saw it in 2014 when Chris Trenfield was The Swan. Last night Jackson Fisch took hold of the reigns so brilliantly, supported by the equally talented Stephen Murray as The Prince and Bryony Wood as The Girlfriend.

These three roles are instrumental in propelling Bourne’s production forward and, as you might imagine, it is totally different to something a traditionalist would expect from one of Tchaikovsky's greatest works: more a study of isolation and loneliness within a busy Royal household where The Queen (Katrina Lyndon) lacks emotion whilst her son, The Prince, craves her love and affection.

Little wonder that Bourne took some of his inspiration from the Royal shenanigans that were going on in the early 90’s.

Lez Brotherston’s set and costumes are amazing, especially the red and blacks of the ballroom scene, where Eleanor McGrath as the Hungarian Princess – complete with pirate eye patch – stalks the stage with all the elegance of a puma lining up her kill!

But, beyond the dancing, there is the humour, the wonderful asides: Bryony Wood’s face contortions as she tries to ingratiate herself to the Queen, only to make every mistake in the book, the suggestive looks, the dubious ballet within a ballet. All fantastic.

It takes a brave person to swim against the tide when everyone is saying 'no' as they continue to say 'yes'. Such bullheadedness usually results in one of two outcomes, catastrophe or breathtaking brilliance; fortunately, Bourne's 1995 production of Swan Lake fell into the latter category and in 2025, is still leaving them whooping in the aisles.

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Until Saturday