This show has been seven years in the making and it does feel as if it has been lovingly crafted, with great attention to detail. Matthew Bourne seems to have a penchant for the 1950s and has captured superbly the American small town atmosphere with a clever use of choreography, set and costumes. As one of a rare breed who has never seen Tim Burton's Gothic fantasy film, I can honestly say I enjoyed the production for its own sake - with no idea of what might have been left out or added. Sam Archer shares the title role [alternative performances with Richard Winsor] of the boy not of this world who is left with only scissors for hands. Archer deals superbly with his gleaming blades - extracting the humour where it's appropriate and playing the pathos where it's needed. There's an extremely funny scene where Edward is being seduced by desperate housewife Joyce Monroe [Michela Meazza], with only a squashy floor cushion between him and the femme fatale. The scene in which he dances with his chosen companion in the cemetery - what would normally be the pas de deux in a ballet - is beautifully choreographed. It allows us to accompany Edward as he first emphasises how hard it is to touch her physically with no hands. But slowly the blades become an integral part of their affection, so that by the end they are folded around her protectively, in an echo of Bourne's earlier work Swan Lake. What helps to make this particular show so ravishing are the sets - again by Lez Brotherston - which are candy box surreal and make very sympathetic backdrops to Bourne's stylized choreography, always full of wit and detailed observation. The costumes reek of suburban chic and the music is based on the original Danny Elfman film score, but there are additional arrangements added by Terry Davies. This is a modern fairytale suitable for all ages and reminds us that we should look beyond the exterior sometimes to find the person inside. Poignant and visually magnificent. Edward Scissorhands runs at the Norwich Theatre Royal until Saturday 25 February, 2006. For more details call 01603 630000. | 
