It says something about Matthew Bourne’s forward-thinking approach that 30 years after it hatched, his Swan Lake still looks as fresh as morning dew. Of course, the ballet itself is over 150 years old, so going the distance in this genre is par for the course. But back in 1995, when the show first opened in London, Bourne took more than a few risks. Three decades, copious awards, and countless performances later, however, his alternative approach to casting feels almost more natural than the original.

For swans, as we know, are beasts of muscular force. So when the 14-strong all-male corps de ballet stretch their powerful, wing-like arms or leap through the air, it feels utterly appropriate. Despite following the same structure as the Lev Ivanov/Marius Petipa 19th century ballet, and using Tchaikovsky’s evocative score, Bourne made Swan Lake very much his own. Not just choreographically, with his highly accessible blend of contemporary dance and ballet, sprinkled with recognisable dancefloor moves, but theatrically.

The wit at play during the prince’s morning ablutions (as a platoon of servants wash his armpits and brush his teeth for him) or when a visiting socialite princess falls short of British politeness again and again, it’s laugh-out-loud funny. In fact, there’s so much fun to be had during acts one and three, the drama, conflict, desperation and tragedy of acts two and four hit home more than the original ever could. Perhaps it’s the modern references (a mobile phone call during a visit to the theatre, paparazzi hordes, and tabloid headlines) that bring the characters closer to our hearts; or maybe it’s simply great acting.

Either way, we feel every emotion that comes our way. Leonardo McCorkindale, in particular, gives a masterful performance as the young prince who slips seamlessly from bored to suicidal, love-struck to heartbroken. If you’re not reaching for a tissue by the end, that’s on you not them. For 30 years on, this giant of a show continues to entertain and devastate in equal measure. 

Swan Lake tours until Saturday 4 October; reviewed at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh.