An emotive experience, and a must-see for fans of Edward Scissorhands
I am a life-long Edward Scissorhands fan. I grew up on it, played the family VHS copy until it was practically unusable, and know the script pretty much word-for-word. It’s a perfect modern fairy-tale, strikingly aesthetic, and oozes charm. The New Adventures stage adaptation of this classic had a lot to live up to in my eyes.
As such a die-hard fan of Burton’s film, I can honestly say that seeing this ‘theatrical spectacle’ was a wonderful experience – the iconic Elfman melodies were present throughout, with original music and arrangements by Terry Davis that didn’t feel out of place in the slightest. Years of rewatching the film had dulled my appreciation for just how emotive the soundtrack is, but this performance pulls you away from the script entirely and gives you the chance to immerse yourself in the music in a way that film, with all of that distracting dialogue and cinematography, simply cannot achieve.
The cast were a joy to watch and executed Bourne’s choreography with undeniable grace, absolute effortlessness, and an incredible amount of personality. Even without the wonderful costuming (designed by the award-winning Lez Brotherston) it was immediately apparent who was who. Liam Mower embodied Edward in all his curiosity and shyness, and both him and Katrina Lyndon’s Kim Boggs could have been plucked from the screen with how well they portrayed those much-loved characters; the chemistry between them is something to behold. Ashley Shaw, as the promiscuous Joyce Monroe, gave a stand-out performance, immediately recognisable from the moment she stepped on stage – and the same goes for Mami Tomotani in her role as Esmerelda Evercreech, managing to be both slightly creepy and ever-so-prudish. The whole company should be lauded for their uncanny embodiment of their characters, though.
The set design (also headed by Brotherston) throughout capture the kitsch, satirical, and sometimes gothic nature of the film without being derivative of Burton in the slightest – an impressive feat in itself – and while they might not be particularly intricate or necessarily pivotal to the storytelling, they set the scene successfully and – crucially – do not distract from the performance.
Some iconic scenes from the film are omitted from this adaptation, and the story is not a play-by-play of Burton and Thomson’s work, but the essence is there in abundance – the message of tolerance and understanding is clear, and the bittersweet relationship between Edward and Kim will break your heart in new and beautiful ways. However, for every element of the film that is absent, the audience is given something new – a little bit of extra background to the story, an insight into the dynamics of the neighbourhood, or gorgeous dream-like sequences full to bursting with desire and longing. You could easily be forgiven for going to see this performance a second time purely for the little human moments that play out between the supporting cast when the full company are on stage. Enough cannot be said for how well thought out the choreography and characterisation are overall, and how much depth that brings to the experience.
Be warned, however; this is a dance performance. If you’re expecting to watch a play adaptation of the Burton classic, you might be disappointed; the story is told entirely through music and dance rather than dialogue. If you’re new to Edward Scissorhands (or you’ve not seen it in a while) it’s well worth giving it watch beforehand to truly get the most out of this performance; if you’re unfamiliar with the story, there’s a possibility you may have some difficulty following along. If it wasn’t for that last point, New Adventures Edward Scissorhands would be an easy five-star experience.