British choreographer Matthew Bourne made his reputation by tweaking traditional ballets such as "Swan Lake," "La Sylphide" and "Cinderella." Now he is in great demand, applying his techniques and winning awards for the musicals "My Fair Lady" and the current Broadway production of "Mary Poppins."

	Choreographer Matthew Bourne Click photo for larger image. Related articles Dance Preview: 'Edward Scissorhands' reawakens as cutting-edge dance Broadway musicals are bending the genres

He made time in his busy schedule to talk about his first film reinvention for the stage, "Edward Scissorhands," at the Benedum Center Friday through next Sunday.

Q. Despite your popular theatrical successes, Pittsburgh is just jumping on the Matthew Bourne bandwagon. What about "Edward Scissorhands" is vintage Bourne?

A. "Edward Scissorhands" is a bit different than some of the other things [because] it is not a famous ballet. But it still has that kind of thing attached to it where to many people it's still a much loved piece. I find I'm still walking a tightrope between people who loved the film and trying to make a story that works from the stage for people who have never seen the film. And like all my work, it's got a mixture of humor and the more moving aspects of the show and a very eclectic mixture of dance styles.

Q. Why would you select a story with a hero who can't use the traditional way of moving arms, the port de bras, which is regarded as a highly expressive aspect of dance?

A. I would say it added to, rather than eliminated it. [They're] extensions of the hands. What we discovered is that it can become very beautiful if you want it to. The blades can become wing-like or feather-like in some ways. It's the combination of beauty and danger that's really exciting. As a choreographer, to have limitation is always a bonus. The typical thing to do is man, woman, duet, they're in love, go -- that's really hard because it's been done millions of times. This was something like -- well, how are we going to get around this, how can we make this work, can they lift, what can they do? It immediately starts you thinking and starts you creating something, probably what you never would have done.

Q. Do the scenic designs and costumes emulate the movie as well?

A. They emulate, which I suppose is a word you could use, but they're not the same by any means. Edward's costume is quite different. ... Ours is more anatomical in his shape, the way he's been put together. Where in the film, he's all belts and buckles, sort of a punky, bondage kind of look. This is more muscles and sinews and that kind of thing. And it's brown rather than black. We've also relocated the time a little bit. It's set more or less in the 1950s in our version, where the film has a '70s, early '80s feel to it. That kind of '50s look seemed to fit the typical American family. It's something everyone can identify with.

Q. How do you make "Edward Scissorhands" your own?

A. There's only one scene in the stage show that mirrors the film in any way, and that's the ice sculpture scene. But all of the elements of the film are in there. It's interesting -- we've just taken them and used them in our own way. The idea of the topiary was taken to a whole other place. [Edward] dances with [Kim] in a garden of topiary he's created. Except they're all people who come to life ... which looks amazing.

Q. You attract different kinds of audiences rather than the traditional dance fans. Why is that?

A. I think it's storytelling that's at the heart of the connection with people.

The other thing is [that] my company looks like [a group of] actors in a play more than they look like dancers. People can watch the stage and see people that they identify with and recognize. I think that's very appealing. I thought that "Edward" as a film would be very cultish, but actually it's much more popular than I had imagined when I made it. I thought that the older generation would not know it, but they certainly do. And we found a whole new audience of teenagers who just adored him. He's like a hero to them. This is an audience that's very difficult to get into the theater ... that middle area of teenagers. This show seems to have got them.

Q. Are there any difficulties in sustaining a plot through movement?

A. Well, there are. But I found over the years that there are so many things you can do -- you can show quite detailed things without words as filmmakers have shown. What dance theater can do is very different in the sense that it's not completely specific. You allow the audience to tell the story for themselves, to say the words. ... what people are thinking. I think it's one of the beauties of it.

Q. What's the difference between reinventing ballet and reinventing film?

A. For me it's [still] a story. It's not the actual ballet I'm playing around with. It's the music that's important to me. Even the musicals I've done -- I just did "Mary Poppins" on Broadway -- they're classic shows. You want to retell the story in a way that's going to surprise people and give them things that maybe they hadn't seen in it before.

Q. How did you replace those haunting Johnny Depp close-ups in the film?

A. I believe you can do a close-up on the stage. It's very odd, but I think that when you focus things right, you can home in on something. In a big show, you can go between numbers and sections that have a lot of people in them and go down to one person on the stage. The concentration of an audience will put all of their attention into that one person, [who] can do very small things and have the audience react to them. One person can fill a stage as much as 30 people. In a sense, that's like doing a close-up.

Q. How much did Johnny Depp's current popularity as a "Pirate of the Caribbean' weigh in getting this production on the boards?

A. It didn't have anything to do with it. [But film director] Tim Burton was a strong aspect in getting it made. The fact that he supported the project was a selling point for the show. And I think his generosity to me was very important. But we're all very flattered that [Johnny] is coming to see it [in Charlotte, N.C.]. He's bringing a party of 10, we hear. We were very influenced by him, and everyone's very excited to meet him.