Review: Sir Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell Tour at The Lowry*

[Ad-gifted] Sir Matthew Bourne is touring one of his iconic shows again, this time, it’s The Midnight Bell Tour which has arrived at The Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays in Manchester.

Inspired by the works of the 1930’s author Patrick Hamilton, a writer born near Brighton who wrote about plays around London street culture and dark times during the period between the two wars. He had a certain style that blended dark humour with melancholy topics.  With that in mind, The Midnight Bell is a dark and exciting tale of the underbelly of London set in the 1930s.

Keep reading to find out what we thought of last night’s performance of another of Sir Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures spectacles that is bound to dazzle and delight, even when the topic is dark.  It is an amazing production full of fantastic costumes, outstanding sets that will immerse you in whatever story Bourne wishes to tell.

What I thought of The Midnight Bell Tour by Sir Matthew Bourne

If you are new to Matthew Bourne, firstly let me explain that his shows don’t use spoken word and the stories are told through dance. They are always fabulously produced and feature detailed costumes and sets. They are totally unique and have a distinct style, created by the visionary that is Matthew Bourne. You won’t leave the theatre disappointed…

I found The Midnight Bell is so different from the usual New Adventures productions, but don’t let this make you think you will enjoy it any less. The story of Midnight Bell is intricately dark, looking at the lives of various people who frequent a London pub in the 1930’s during the interwar period. This time in history, where there was an unseen weight on everyone’s shoulders. Where they could feel that things were about to change and yet still may have felt a slight bit of freedom as one war had not long ended, even though the next had not quite begun.

The opening scene was speculator, with the fluidity of the dance combined with the moving of the set, which of course was perfectly suited to depicting the era in which the performance was set.

What I admired about The Midnight Bell was the subtleties within it. I particularly loved the importance of the lowly cigarette, which was used as a form of connection between the characters – the man holding out the box, the woman getting the cigarette and waiting for the man to light it – It also felt like a nod to the old Hollywood and how smoking felt like such a feature within the films, not only the social aspect of it but the way they made it so stylised.

Another nod to the era was the surrealist aspects of the performance. During the 1930’s surrealism was at its peak, with artists such as, Man Ray and his surrealist photography and Dupont urinal creation becoming a piece of art. This is a time when things weren’t as they seemed or were at least exploited in that way.

I felt Bourne’s theme throughout the show of unreciprocated love was portrayed in such a surrealist way not only through the contemporary dance combined with the period set and costumes, but also the use of music extracts from the 1930s specifically one song that is used over and over and was mimed by the performers – all of whom were talented in their craft and if I were to name two that stood out for me were Ashley Shaw who played Jenny Maple the conflicted young prostitute and Alan Vincent, playing George Harvey Bone, the tortured romantic with a cleverly performed dose of schizophrenia on the side – his dream like moments added even further into the surrealist aspects the piece.

Sir Matthew Bourne has a way of combining his stylised vision with his creativity generating depth and meaning to his piece, as well as visual pleasure. He manages to capture moments of iconic Hollywood history alongside his modern and beautifully choreographed dancing. The Midnight Bell was no exception. The dark story inspired by the playwright Patrick Hamilton, who although from a wealthy background is believed to have spent much of his childhood in boarding houses, which more than likely fuelled his imagination and gave him the basis for many of his plays, two of which were later made into films – the UK film Gaslight and the US film, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Rope (starring James Stewart).

It takes a true talent to make a beautifully choreographed piece like Midnight Bell, that through the great story telling, sets and music, generating deep emotion making you feel sad and thoughtful towards the struggles of love, staged in the gloomy streets of London in the 30s. It touches on multiple dynamics of love as well as social and mental health issues. If you’d like to catch The Midnight Bell at The Lowry see below on how to get tickets, but be quick as Matthew Bourne shows are popular and get booked up quickly.

Cast

The cast is different every night and you will find the cast list dotted around The Lowry so you know which members you have seen on the night you visit.

Bob, a waiter – Dominic North
Jenny Marple, a yound prostitute – Ashley Shaw
Miss Roach, a lonely Spinster – Michela Meazza
Ernest Ralph Gorse, a cad – Glenn Graham
Ella, a barmaid – Hannah Kremer
Mr. Eccles, a regular customer – Danny Reubens
George Harvey Bone, a tortured romantic – Alan Vincent
Netta Longdon, an out-of-work actress, Cordelia Braithwaite
Frank, a new customer – Andy Monaghan
Albert, a West-End chorus boy – Liam Mower

Creative Details

Choreographer and Director –Sir Matthew Bourne
Composer & Orchestrator – Terry Davies
Set & Costume Designer – Lez Brotherston
Lighting Designer – Paule Constable
Sound Designer – Paul Groothuis
Associate Artistic Director – Etta Mufitt
Novelist & Playright – Patrick Hamilton

How much are the tickets?

Tickets are priced from £20-£55. Age recommendations: 4+ as The Midnight Bell Tour contains scenes of a sexual nature, including sexual violence and mental distress, smoking on stage (e-cigarettes), haze and flickering lights (not strobe).

How do I book tickets to watch the show?

To book tickets please call The Lowry at 08432086000 or via their website here.

When is The Midnight Bell Tour?

The show will be running until Thursday 3 July 2025

Where will the performance be held?

The Lowry
The Quays
Salford
M50 3AZ
Manchester
Tel: 0843208 6000

Notes:

• The Lowry welcomes all visitors regardless of their disability and strives to meet all individuals needs where possible.
• They welcome assistance dogs.
• The Lowry website is fully accessible and features BrowseAloud.  Browsealoud adds speech, reading and translation support, facilitating access and participation for those people who need support reading print, dyslexia, low literacy, mild visual impairments and those with English as a second language. To use this feature, simply click on the grey ear logo located in the footer.
• If you are driving to the show, we would recommend for you to park at The Lowry Outlet which is opposite the theatre, but be aware as there is lack of signage from the car park area to the theatre, so best to ask someone or use google maps to find your way.

  Pre paid car parking tickets can be purchased up to 24 hours prior to your performance. Please note they are unable to sell pre paid tickets on your performance date, and you will need to pay at the ticket machines in the car park. The tickets can be booked at the same time as your seats via their website, or over the phone on freephone 0343 208 6000. The cost is £6.50. This allows you to park for the day.

About The Lowry Theatre

The Lowry is a registered charity committed to using visual and performing arts to enrich people’s lives. They present audiences with a diverse programme of theatre, opera, musicals, dance, music, comedy and visual art as well as events and activities to expand the horizons of audiences and artists alike.  At the heart of their work is a commitment to the local communities and young people. Tapping into the work on their stages and in their galleries, they offer thousands of free creative participation opportunities each year. They are passionate about nurturing talent, developing creative professionals of the future and raising aspirations.

You may also want to read this:

Review: Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet at The Lowry Theatre

Review: Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes at The Lowry in Salford, Manchester

Review: A Christmas Carol: The Musical at The Lowry Theatre

Review: War Horse at The Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays

Photo Credit: The Lowry Theatre/Johan Persson