THE Alhambra Theatre was transformed into a spectacular dystopia on the first night of a four day run of a ballet version on Lord Of The Flies.

After his version of Swan Lake wowed audiences at the Alhambra earlier this year, acclaimed director Matthew Bourne has brought another of his contemporary ballets to Bradford with his take on William Golding's classic novel Lord of the Flies.

The story follows what happens to a group of boys when they are removed from the adult world and are forced to make their own decisions. Like the book, the new, free way of life doesn't end well for all the boys, and the story acts as a morality tale about the importance of civilisation.

One of the most interesting things about the ballet is that many of the young men that make up the cast are from Bradford and the surrounding areas. The 22 strong cast, selected from auditions, include Benjamin Gillespie, 22, from Undercliffe and Shakeel Brar, 17, from Clayton, who both attend Bradford-based Dance United and are playing to a home audience for this four day run.

Although most people are familiar with the story from reading it at school, Lord of the Flies is far from a typical children's book, and Bourne's version keeps up the dark tone of Golding's novel despite the the major changes he makes to the set up. The most obvious of these changes is moving the setting of the story from a deserted island to an abandoned theatre, although the central idea of these boys descending into savagery remains.

The Alhambra actually became an interactive part of the play, as the characters explore the creaking theatre like their counterparts in the page explore the mysterious island they find themselves on. The fact that the dancers performing on the stage are actually meant to be on a stage brings the audience even closer and more involved in the action.

Within minutes the show had captivated the audience, and turned from moments of humour to tension in moments.

The cast, both the touring regulars and the local dancers joining this performance gave flawless performances.

Lord of the Flies runs at the Alhambra until Saturday. For tickets call (01274) 432000.