Why Are There So Few Gay Love Stories in Ballet?

When choreographer Matthew Bourne was a teenager, he collected autographs. Waiting at stage doors on opening nights gave him a glimpse into the glamorous world of drama, music, and movement that fascinated him growing up in Walthamstow. One of his prized signatures was from Lionel Bart, the composer of the musical “Oliver!”.

In 1994, eight years after launching his dance company, New Adventures—then known as Adventures in Motion Pictures—he met Bart again. This time, Bourne was an almost unknown choreographer for a new production of “Oliver!” at the London Palladium, directed by a young Sam Mendes and produced by Cameron Mackintosh.

“I had always loved him growing up,” says Bourne, fondly recalling the pioneering British composer who passed away in 1999. “He was part of the spirit of London to me.” The place where Bart honed his style was Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop at Stratford East, a regular haunt for a young Bourne. “It seemed like a lovely thing, and we got on very well,” he notes.

By the time they met, Bart had weathered many ups and downs, including alcoholism, bankruptcy, and the loss of rights to his most popular show. For the 1994 production, Mackintosh generously involved him, sharing the royalties. “He was such a character,” Bourne reminisces. “The 1994 production was a lovely return for him, and audiences used to applaud him when they saw him in the auditorium.”

A year later, Bourne himself became a household name with his groundbreaking production of “Swan Lake”. Featuring a unique twist of bare-chested male swans, Bourne’s version transformed perceptions of dance and became the longest-running full-length ballet both in the West End and on Broadway.

Now, Bourne is back working on “Oliver!” again, this time directing a production designed by his long-time collaborator Lez Brotherston. This stripped-back, fast-moving version takes the show back to its “poor theatre” roots. “It is going full circle in some ways, bringing it back to something more authentic,” he says.

“Oliver!” has been a thread through Bourne’s life. His first encounter was the 1968 film, which he saw on TV. He and his brother used to sing “Where Is Love?” and “Consider Yourself” as children, performing in church hall shows. Although Bourne has choreographed “Mary Poppins” and Trevor Nunn’s version of “My Fair Lady”, this is his first time directing a musical, starting at Chichester Festival Theatre before heading to the West End.

Bourne talks quietly but with authority. A genial presence in sweatshirt and jeans, he wears his multi-award-winning success and knighthood lightly. His works, from “Swan Lake” to “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Red Shoes”, emphasize clear narrative and feature dancers who look like normal people.

Discussions about diversity and weight continue in ballet. However, Bourne feels acceptance of who can dance has changed since he first launched his company in 1986. “I think it has,” he says. He believes the dancers we love are all a bit flawed, not quite perfect, and often self-taught, much like Fred Astaire or Eleanor Powell.

Bourne’s fascination with dance began with movie musicals. He didn’t come from a theatrical background; his dad worked for Thames Water, and his mum was a secretary, but his family loved musicals and encouraged his interest. After school, he worked at the National Theatre bookshop and embarked on a campaign of self-education.

He hadn’t seen an opera or ballet, so he started watching them and was hooked. “I loved the preservation of something historic,” he says. This led to watching contemporary dance as well. A friend’s suggestion led him to the Laban Dance Centre, where his first contemporary dance class was his audition at the age of 22. He was able to attend thanks to a local authority grant.

This background shapes his hope that the new culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, will improve access for young people to the arts. “Access to inspiration by seeing work is the most important thing,” he says. He emphasized the importance of making training visible to young people.

New Adventures also focuses on socio-economic diversity. The company often includes dancers from less privileged backgrounds. He founded donor-funded Cygnet and Swan schools to provide workshops and training, helping to nurture talent inspired by seeing “Swan Lake”, which returns for a 30th-anniversary tour. This rethinking of a classic remains impactful, reaching beyond the dance world.

Initially, Bourne was cautious about suggesting that “Swan Lake” was a gay story. “Now I talk much more openly about the fact that love between two men is a very big part of the success,” he says. Yet, he stresses the universality of the piece’s themes, appealing to a broad audience.

Bourne’s own sexuality has never been an issue; he’s been with his husband, choreographer Arthur Pita, since 1995. Every work he creates features a gay relationship, reflecting his own life. He wishes there were more gay love stories in ballet and is surprised by the lack given the many gay men in the field.

Although dance has evolved—partly due to Bourne—it remains traditional in many ways. “Swan Lake opened up the possibility of change, but we are still waiting.”

Though he’s about to begin rehearsals for “Swan Lake”, Bourne is now fully immersed in “Oliver!”. “It’s part of our DNA, embedded in British culture,” he says. The enduring appeal of “Oliver!” is a testament to Lionel Bart’s spirit, celebrating family and community despite hardships.

“Oliver!” is at Chichester Festival Theatre from 8 July to 7 September; it transfers to the Gielgud Theatre, London from 14 December.

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