Swan Lake with an all-male cast: Matthew Bourne on his big risk

Choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne has spoken about the risk he took almost 30 years ago in reimagining Swan Lake with an all-male cast - a production now widely billed as the most successful dance theatre production of all time. "The idea of male swans just seemed to be that thing which captured my imagination, and then eventually seemed to capture everyone else's," he told The Independent's Editor-in-Chief Geordie Greig. "It was a bit scary at the time, sticking my neck out and doing something different with a piece that was so hallowed." As part of Latitude's 20th anniversary celebrations, Bourne's New Adventures will take over the Waterfront Stage, performing an excerpt from Swan Lake featuring two of the company's stars. Latitude Festival 2026 takes place 23–26 July at Henham Park, Suffolk. Tickets are available at latitudefestival.com Watch more on Independent TV: https://tinyurl.com/yc7ukx9n The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-Independent Find us on social: TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@independent Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/the.independent/ X (Twitter) / https://twitter.com/Independent Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline Download the iOS & Android app: https://tinyurl.com/2s3ts5dh Sign up to our newsletters: https://tinyurl.com/2bmw565x Help to support truly independent journalism. Every dollar you contribute will directly fund additional special reports and investigations from a free-thinking, award-winning newsroom you can trust: https://www.independent.co.uk/donations