Whilst the cult 1990 classic Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands might not be the most obvious choice for a ballet, Matthew Bourne has yet again worked his magic to create something quite wonderful and special. Originally on stage in 2005, this production is back on tour and leaving audiences in love with the tale of the boy that has scissors for hands. 

As a young teen obsessed with anything Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands was a film that had a special place in my slightly odd, emo heart. To see it adapted from the screen into a Matthew Bourne ballet was nothing short of perfection and truly transported me into the world of a much loved tale. 

The story follows a young boy called Edward, who after dying is remade by his father into a new boy. Except his dad passes away before giving him hands, leaving Edward with scissors in their place. Left alone and lost, Edwards happens upon the folks of his local community who both take him under their wing as an orphan but also vilify him for being different to everyone else. What ensues is a witty yet heartwarming tale about belonging, family, and finding love in the strangest of places. 

Adapting a much loved tale into a ballet is not a small feat, but Matthew Bourne has done so with such success it feels like this is a true extension of the original Burton story. What I loved is that the ballet captured the perfect essence of dark humour, gothic fantasy, and fairytale nature to replicate the story in it's own way. I found myself chuckling to myself one minute and become choked up the next due to the sheer brilliance of the adaption. The fact that so many original elements were still in the story was fantastic and I loved the moving ice sculpture scene along with the classic and hilarious hair cut montage. 

Set to the hauntingly beautiful music of Danny Elfman and adapted for the stage by Terry Davies, it's nothing but nostalgia for fans of the film, yet also feels classic and timeless for ballet fans too. The perfect fusion for any audience member. I also loved how fitting the staging and costuming were for the show, with Edward Scissorhands outfit being the most perfect tribute to the original piece, with messy hair included. The staging was reminiscent of 1950's postcard life and I adored how they fully utilised the whole set to create storybook moments, whilst also making it feel as thought it was nothing short of cinematic.

Liam Mower took to the stage as Edward Scissorhands and he was so utterly perfect in the role and truly captured the innocence and naivety of the character to create something mesmerising and captivating. His movement on stage with Ashley Shaw who played Kim Boggs was hypnotic and you couldn't help but adore their closing duet in the cemetery. The whole cast was enigmatic and entrancing and seemed to be having the best time on stage. I loved looking around the ensemble and seeing so many different things happening that I feel that I could watch the show over and over again and find something new to discover.