WILLIAM Golding's chilling novel Lord of the Flies is given a twist by maverick director Matthew Bourne in a thrilling new adaptation coming to Bradford next week.

The production, about a group of schoolboys who find themselves abandoned without adults and start to create their own civilisation, transfers the action from a deserted island to a deserted theatre.

The boys start their own rules, but order soon crumbles as the story builds to an electrifying climax.

Goldman's characters Ralph, Piggy, Jack and the boys are brought to life with raw energy by Bourne's New Adventures company in a production featuring professional dancers and a remarkable young local ensemble. The 22 young men, selected from auditions, include Benjamin Gillespie, 22, from Undercliffe and Shakeel Brar, 17, from Clayton. Both attend Bradford-based Dance United, where workshops were carried out by Re:Bourne, the charitable arm of New Adventures which finds, develops and inspires the next generation of dance-theatre professionals. It has worked with more than 15,000 young people in the UK and overseas.

For Ben, the chance to work with Matthew Bourne's company is a dream come true. "At college we did power point presentations on his shows, he's a huge name in dance. I've seen some of his productions, I'm a big fan. This is massive for me," says Ben. "In a New Adventures production, acting is as important as dancing so you have to be in character all the time. We develop our own characters, even their backstory. My character was adopted and has a lot of anger inside him."

Ben, who studied dance at Leeds City College, aims to become a professional dancer. "I love the idea of touring, combining dance and travel," he says. "This is my first time dancing on the Alhambra stage, and to be here as part of such an amazing New Adventures production is a fantastic opportunity."

Shakeel started dancing two years ago, says this version Lord of the Flies is particularly effective, because of its theatre setting. "The boys are trapped in a theatre, and there's a moment when the lights come on and we can see out into the auditorium, so you get the sense of us being in a real theatre," he says. "Our characters go on quite a journey, we start off as ordinary schoolboys then end up as savages. It's really powerful."

Shakeel is a pupil at Thornton Grammar School and has a scholarship to study at Harvard University. His aim is to become a professional choreographer. "I'd like to create dance pieces that are accessible to audiences, like New Adventures," he says. "It's amazing to be working with professionals of this level, I feel very honoured."

The production is devised and directed by Bourne, an Olivier and Tony award-winner, whose shows include Edward Scissorhands, Dorian Gray and his tour-de-force classic Swan Lake, with its all-male ensemble. New Adventures is the UK’s most in-demand contemporary dance/theatre touring company which has, over the last 25 years, changed the landscape of British dance with an award-winning repertory of works bringing new audiences to theatres throughout the world.

* Lord of the Flies runs at the Alhambra from Wednesday to Saturday. For tickets call (01274) 432000.

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