saw this wonderful ballet yesterday, along with two other plays. loved what matthew bourne did with sleeping beauty. he gave agency to aurora, who is an energetic and passionate young woman in love with a working class lad, leo the gamekeeper, before she ever falls asleep. half the fairies are male dancers, including the lilac fairy, and they exude more power and athleticism than leo, the prince character. it’s not the evil fairy who exacts revenge on aurora but her charismatic son, who looks like a cross between the flamboyant freddie mercury and a young antonio banderas. he also falls in love with aurora so there is this rivalry between him and leo. oh yeah, and the lilac fairy is a vampire. smashing.