I’ve found the perfect ballet for goths! 🖤
But before you watch Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty you might need to leave what you already know about the story in the foyer.
Well. At least, if like me and were unwittingly programmed by Disney at a young age, then you must clear your mind before you marvel at this interpretation from Matthew Bourne and his dance company New Adventures.
It’s not like there’s one true version of Sleeping Beauty anyways, like most fairytales, their origins remain illusive, retold with details changing across each version and wham bam, its over 700 years later and this is Matthew Bourne’s edition.



Keeping true to the fairytale ingredients, we have magic, evil and a love story. Lots of it. Its ballet meets Interview with a Vampire meets The Labyrinth. It’s a delicious slice of gothic drama to the sounds of the beautiful Tchaikovsky score.
Ashley Shaw as the Princess Aurora and her truelove, Leo played by Stephen Murray are incredible.

Ashley Shaw is a principle dancer at New Adventures and has performed as Aurora in its debut year, over ten years ago! I’m convinced she must be using real magic, as she leaves the audience under her spell.

Disney critics call out the Disney version of Princess Aurora as boring, without a personality. Well, Ashley Shaw and Matthew Bourne give us the most energetic, the most passionate, playful and relatable Princess Aurora set in a world not so make-believe but more I DO BELIEVE!
Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty is one show you do not want to sleep on.
Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty is at Milton Keynes Theatre Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 January 2023
Tickets were kindly gifted by Milton Keynes Theatre but they have zero control over what I post, or say about the performance – that’s all me! Thank you for your support.