FILMMAKER Tim Burton and choreographer Matthew Bourne are both pioneers in their own right.

Burton reinvented the fairytale with his gothic movies while Bourne's daringly different takes on the likes of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty have helped change the perception of dance theatre.

So it was fascinating to watch those two worlds collide for the stage revival of Edward Scissorhands at Liverpool Empire on Tuesday.

But Bourne has said it was actually composer Danny Elfman's music from the hit 1990 film which drew him towards the project and you can tell.

Despite the production being visually striking, it is the music which will leave you spellbound, capturing the tone of the fantasy in the snow globe-like town of Hope Springs.

Like with most of Bourne's other work, there is no dialogue in Edward Scissorhands so it is up the cast to bring their characters to life through their gestures, dance and the language of theatre.

This proved perfect for such a whimsical story and the actors and dancers did this brilliantly, giving the performance a silent movie feel.

It might make you wonder what film adaptation Bourne will be working on next with the acclaimed choreographer due to make an announcement at the beginning of next year.

Dominic North, who shares the role with Liam Mower, played Edward on Tuesday and absolutely looked the part with his black straggly hair, mishmash outfit and, of course, scissor hands.

But it was North's mannerisms which made the part work.

Edward is created by an inventor grieving the death of his son.

So everything is new to him which is expressed in the character's wide-eyed wonder and little subtleties like the way Edward quivers his scissor hands whenever he is nervous or curious.

One of the best part of the production is when Edward is taken in by the Boggs family and you get the wonderful juxtaposition of gothic horror and 50s suburbia.

Expect plenty of impressive stage trickery too. There is a brilliant scene where Edward is looking at pictures of cheerleader and love interest Kim Boggs and the wall seems to melt away to reveal three versions of her dancing behind it.

The transition from scene to scene was seamless too.

The only criticism would be Burton's themes of alienation and prejudice in Edward Scissorhands were almost lost.

Apart from some undercurrents, Edward is idolised by his neighbours first as a gardener and then as hairdresser and things only take a turn for the worst in the closing moments.

- Matthew Bourne's Edward Scissorhands is at Liverpool Empire until Saturday

DAVID MORGAN