© 2004 Clear Channel Entertainment Jeffery Taylor's Matthew Bourne interview from November 2002 2004 MB Swan Lake interviews: Two Queens Four Swans and Princes John Ross Swan Lake gallery 'Mary Poppins' Reviews MB 'Swan Lake' Reviews AMP 'Swan Lake' reviews (original production was by Adventures in Motion Pictures) all Matthew Bourne reviews more Jeffery Taylor reviews Web version held on Ballet.co by kind permission of Jeffery Taylor and the Sunday Express Express Website Mary Poppins Previews from: 6 Dec 2004 Opening night: 15 Dec 2004 Telephone 0870 850 9191 Swan Lake opened at London's Sadler's Well on November 30th and runs until January 16th. www.sadlers-wells.com Box office 0870 737 7737 www.matthewbourne.org www.new-adventures.net

Even before the spectacular success of his 1995 “male” Swan Lake, he aroused controversy and fevered speculation with questionable productions like Does Your Crimplene Go All Crusty When You Rub which caused cries of outrage when launching his dance company Adventures in Motion Pictures in 1987.

Now dedicated film fans are breathless with anxiety about Bourne’s involvement with the stage adaptation of a global holy cow called Mary Poppins which hits the West End stage next month. But frankly, Bourne, who has carved a sensational career out of standing on their heads classics revered by millions, has better things to think about. “I’m really looking forward to Christmas,” he remarks in his soft North London accent during final rehearsals of the 1964 Walt Disney legend. “There’ll be just the four of us, me, Mum, Dad and Arthur (Pita, Bourne’s partner for the past 8 years). Mum’ll cook lunch. I’m really old fashioned,” he adds without a trace of irony. “Pleasing an audience is what matters. This show really is going back to my roots, Mary Poppins was the first film I fell in love with. My parents (retired Thames Water controller, Jim, and his wife June) always loved the theatre,” he recalls, “and sat me in front of old films on the telly to keep me quiet and that started my obsession.” Bourne’s home is a private museum of original 1950s and 60s film posters and hundreds of celebratory autographs collected as a schoolboy. “We were a working class family in Walthamstow,” he adds, where his parents still live in the same rented family home.

“I don’t see myself as other people see me,” he points out. “Basically I’m an entertainer, I want people to have a memorable evening at the theatre. Beyond that I’m not interested.” Most current so called celebrities would die for the international “A” list fuss that has surrounded Bourne since Swan Lake conquered the West End and Broadway. “Look, I’ve reached a stage (he’s 44) where I’m not interested in just furthering my name. I never had a plan to court fame, if anyone had said to me, one day you’ll get a Tony for doing your own version of Swan Lake on Broadway, I’d have thought they were mad. Even now it’s happened it strikes me as absolutely ridiculous. The level I get real pleasure from is working with my company and people I know - and not going out a lot..”

But there is one aspect of fame in which Bourne finds lasting delight. “I do admit I love it when I see my name in a book,” he says with a slight shameful colourisation of the cheeks. “It’s such a surprise to see me of all people listed in dance encyclopaedias. I absolutely can’t believe it. That sense of history gets me very excited.”

Whether or not Mary Poppins the show earns him a return date in the history books remains to be seen. Meanwhile Bourne has a show to open. “It’s a busy time,” he says in his resolutely unflappable way, “with last minute changes and generally trying to make things better.” Like making sense of “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” perhaps? “It’s all about who first made up words,” Bourne explains. “We tried to find a gestural language to create the letter shapes instead of just doing another dance routine. One of the staff knows the sign language for the deaf which is where we started and then stylised it. But we kept the “F” as in the deaf sign language.”
 

Inevitably there will be huge expectations, and perhaps equal disappointment when they are not being realised, by everyone who sees the new musical. “I hope people come in talking about tea parties on the ceiling and dancing penguins,” he says, “and leave talking about this amazing show that is full of its own surprises.” Not surprisingly Bourne’s expectations of Mary Poppins the Musical are astronomical. “Every show I’ve done I’ve had to think up something to get a standing ovation at the end. This one will get them on their feet without trying at all.” We shall see.