Highland Fling

IAN COLLINS

> Norwich Theatre Royal

Now we know that when the lights dim for a Matthew Bourne ballet we are in for an electrifying experience. After transforming Swan Lake, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, he's blown all the fuses on La Sylphide.

Highland Fling updates the romantic classic to contemporary Glasgow, where reckless and feckless kids in kilts or belts that might just be skirts are celebrating James and Effie's wedding - by getting high as kites and then laid low.

The groom (James Leece) moves from special brew to sprite as he finds himself dancing with the fairies in a woodland glade haunted by elfin figures and fly tippers.

The sylph who taunts him (Mireille Noi Tolmer) is playing with fire after too much feasting on magic mushrooms. She gets her wings clipped in a very bloody ending as the comic mood cuts to shear (snip, snip) tragedy.

Here is a high-voltage, hugely-entertaining production, with all 11 dancers moving like a demented dream to Bourne's crackling choreography.

Happily this thrilling fling has six more performances in Norwich up to Saturday evening, May 14.