Stage Review: Edward Scissorhands

We were pretty skeptical for most of the first act. Now, there's no way you can do a musical of Edward Scissorhands--a "musical without words" (read: dance) no less--and still be faithful to the film. Especially if you want it to work. So, in the musical, Avon doesn't come calling and there are no mishaps with a waterbed, and oh, they rewrote the beginning scenes, yet we didn't deem all those changes sacrilegious. But then, we aren't Burton fanatics. They might have a different opinion.

For the musical to work, choreographer Matthew Bourne had to retain the spirit of the film, yet make it his own. Luckily, if there's any choreographer who can do this, it would be Bourne. He's had international success with The Car Man (a dance musical based on Carmen) and an all-male Swan Lake. His dancers don't merely do steps; they act. They have huge personalities. They just don't talk.

Bourne did make Edward his own, and by the final pas de deux with Edward and Kim (a sweet and sharp Kerry Biggin), he hooked us. The company created a marvelously tacky pastel-colored suburbia, complete with little houses with functioning front doors. The suburbanites were equally tacky, with wacky costumes, and the dancers created whimsical and biting stage pictures, whether it be the religious father with his own cross to bear, or an amusing interlude showing the families driving around in cars. Bourne also gave us another reason for Edward to fall for Kim: It's not just because she's pretty, it's because he can relate to her. Of course, Edward being rather naïve about the suburban world, the reason (it involves cheerleading) is a little off. Which just adds to the charm.

Naturally, you all want to know if they pulled off the scissors special effects. Well, it wasn't as sharp as the film, but Bourne provided creative choreography to cover some of the stage tricks. And while you don't see Edward making all the cute topiaries, Bourne did create a sequence that was so absurd yet perfect that you just had to marvel at the concept. Moments like that won the audience over, and we were willing to go on Bourne's ride. By the time we saw Edward's fall from suburban grace, we all gasped at the defining moment.

Sure, Edward did look a little ridiculous sometimes dancing around with scissors, especially donned in Bermudas and boogieing down at the backyard picnic. (But that was the point.) Dancer Sam Archer was mesmerizing, and had that quizzical look and gestures down pat. Overall the choreography mixed classical technique with popular dance that was just plain fun to watch, it being unlike anything you see on Broadway stages, and that includes Contact. Certainly it helped that the musical stuck close to the spirit of Danny Elfman's score, if not retaining passages completely.

Assclowns? Ultimately, we think not. Sorry, we really tried to stay skeptical, but Bourne infected us with a marvelous interpretation of this absurd, sweet and heartbreaking fable.

Photo of Michela Meazza and Sam Archer by Bill Cooper.