By: Wendy Sheard
Welcome to The Midnight Bell, a Matthew Bourne New Adventures production, a complex and tangled tale of everyday folk who are connected by love, lust and longing. It explores the convoluted aspects of love in all its forms; forbidden, unrequited, passionate and everything in between.
Interestingly, this performance was directly inspired by the writings of novelist and playwright Patrick Hamilton [most famous for Rope and Gaslight] and the long periods of isolation we all experienced during 2021; the sense of seclusion and loneliness are evident throughout this thought-provoking, contemporary ballet, based in Hamilton’s 1930’s London.
So, to set the scene, The Midnight Bell, is a local boozer and the regular haunt of a miscellaneous assortment of people, a waiter, a prostitute, a spinster, a cad, a barmaid, a tortured romantic, an unemployed actress, a west end chorus boy and as well as other customers. It is here where we witness the complications of their personal lives, the seductions, the lovers trysts, the jealousy, the intimate conversations, the impact of betrayal, the sense of shame and the hopelessness of unreciprocated love.
There isn’t a central player, rather we follow each character and watch as their story unfolds. The performers captivate us from the very beginning with their sensual and evocative dance; they move together to create their individual and combined storylines.
A palpable sense of disconnect adds to feelings of aloneness and solitude, these are portrayed during the cameos and vignettes between the characters as we see their relationships develop, change and challenge the world around them. There is a beautiful representation of a love which has to be hidden as well as a reflection of how the act of love can be used as a weapon to control and demean.
We observe them in a variety of locations, a local park, a seedy hotel, a cinema, even a Lyons Corner House and it is here we see the stolen glances, the lingering touches and the need every human has to feel cherished by someone somewhere. There are deeply moving moments which are balanced by lighter, comedic elements, resulting in a unique and fascinating production.
The musical score provides the language throughout the performance, it takes us along gentle, meandering paths of hope, and then drops us from a great height into the depths of despair whilst also providing the backdrop to the hustle and bustle of daily lives. There are several surprising elements to enjoy along the way which reflect the music of the era and create another layer of authenticity to this fascinating production.
The staging is superb; the sets and props transport us to the busy streets of London, with neon signs, street lamps, telephone boxes and park railings; the costumes perfectly portray the fashion of the day and the passage of time is indicated by subtle lighting changes as we move from day time rendezvous to sensual night-time shenanigans.
This performance is intriguing, disturbing and captivating all at the same time; I believed in each of the characters and wanted all of them to find their ‘happy ever after’, except perhaps the cad who deserved everything he got!
A visit to The Midnight Bell will be memorable, one which will leave you pondering the age-old question about love, relationships and the bonds which tie us to others.
See you there, mines a G&T!