Matthew Bourne’s new work Midnight Bell is an atmospheric exploration of the underworld in 1930s London.
The New Adventures’ Company performing Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell | Photo © Johan Persson
Characters wander looking for love and kindness but all stop by The Midnight Bell tavern where their journeys start and at times finish over the course of a month.
Inspired by the Patrick Hamilton novel, we walk with their heartbreak, passions and quest for company through the foggy back streets of Soho.
Midnight Bell is a wonderful display of dance theatre. The extraordinary Matthew Bourne New Adventurers company intertwine the stories of the lonely hearts with such skill; the trademark storytelling is as clear as ever, the ease of performance belies the complexity and breath-taking talent of the company.
There are moments of heartbreak set against humour and at times the darker side of life all of these threads have their own motifs and the original score propels the action beautifully. Occasionally the characters lip-sync songs to propel their stories further.
The usual New Adventures trio of Bourne (Artistic Director) Terry Davies (Composer and conductor) and Lez Brotherston (Set and costume design) ensure that nothing is overlooked.
It is a sensory and sensual show; the stunning lighting design by Paule Constable is the final part of a unique and exceptional team of storytellers.
Although this is the final date for the current tour, The Midnight Bell will no doubt find its way into many more theatres in the coming years. It is too beautiful to be missed.
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Reviewer: Petra Schofield
The Midnight Bell is showing at the Theatre Royal in Bath until Saturday 27th November 2021.
