Matthew Bourne's Dorian Gray
Encyclopedia
Matthew Bourne's Dorian Gray is a contemporary dance
adaptation of Oscar Wilde
's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray
, by choreographer Matthew Bourne
. The show made its debut in August 2008 at the Edinburgh International Festival
and transferred to Sadler's Wells Theatre
in London
in September 2008. The music was composed by Terry Davies for a rock
quintet
directed from the keyboard
. The set and costumes were designed by Lez Brotherston.
promotion rather than the wealthy socialite
of the original text. A billboard
poster for the advertising campaign
takes the place of the eponymous portrait, whilst Gray's mentor Lord Henry is replaced by the alluring Lady Henrietta. Cyril, a male ballet
dancer, replaces Sybil, the actress who catches Dorian's eye in Wilde's novel. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Bourne explained the relevance of the subject matter to a 21st century audience: "The obsession with youth and wanting to look young has never been a bigger issue. And I’m interested in what happens to people when the camera is turned on them. People you wouldn’t look at suddenly become fascinating."
Reviewers have generally praised the imaginative choreography, costume changes and staging.
Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
adaptation of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde, appearing as the lead story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890, printed as the July 1890 issue of this magazine...
, by choreographer Matthew Bourne
Matthew Bourne
Matthew Bourne OBE is a British classical and contemporary ballet and dance choreographer.-Biography:Matthew Bourne was born in Hackney, London in 1960. He went to William Fitt and Sir George Monoux School in Walthamstow, London...
. The show made its debut in August 2008 at the Edinburgh International Festival
Edinburgh International Festival
The Edinburgh International Festival is a festival of performing arts that takes place in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, over three weeks from around the middle of August. By invitation from the Festival Director, the International Festival brings top class performers of music , theatre, opera...
and transferred to Sadler's Wells Theatre
Sadler's Wells Theatre
Sadler's Wells Theatre is a performing arts venue located in Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington. The present day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500 seat main auditorium and the Lilian Baylis Studio, with extensive...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in September 2008. The music was composed by Terry Davies for a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
quintet
Quintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
directed from the keyboard
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
. The set and costumes were designed by Lez Brotherston.
Modern setting
Various changes are made to the story, which Bourne sets in the modern fashion industry. In this setting, Dorian Gray is a model for a perfumePerfume
Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and/or aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces "a pleasant scent"...
promotion rather than the wealthy socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
of the original text. A billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
poster for the advertising campaign
Advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
takes the place of the eponymous portrait, whilst Gray's mentor Lord Henry is replaced by the alluring Lady Henrietta. Cyril, a male ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
dancer, replaces Sybil, the actress who catches Dorian's eye in Wilde's novel. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Bourne explained the relevance of the subject matter to a 21st century audience: "The obsession with youth and wanting to look young has never been a bigger issue. And I’m interested in what happens to people when the camera is turned on them. People you wouldn’t look at suddenly become fascinating."
Critical reception
Dorian Grays run at the Edinburgh International Festival sold over 11,000 tickets, making it the biggest selling dance event in the festival's history.Reviewers have generally praised the imaginative choreography, costume changes and staging.
See also
- Adaptations of The Picture of Dorian GrayAdaptations of The Picture of Dorian GrayOscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray has inspired many cinematic, literary, and artistic adaptations. -Film:Listed in chronological order of release.*Dorian Grays Portræt *:Directed by Axel Strøm...
- Other works by Matthew Bourne