BRILLIANT. Fantastic. Superb.

There are only so many adjectives I can use before it begins to sound insincere.

Matthew Bourne’s retelling of the Gothic fairytale Edward Scissorhands is easily one of the best things I’ve ever seen and that is no exaggeration.

Like most people, my exposure to dance these days extends to Saturday night in front of the television watching Bruno, Arlene and the others being mean to John Sergeant and the thought of watching ballet on stage left me cold.

Never again. If ever I see the name Matthew Bourne I will be among the first in the queue for tickets.

Fans of the eccentric Tim Burton film will not be disappointed either with this adaptation, but I’ve got news for some people.

Edward Scissorhands is not Johnny Depp. Instead he is a tortured soul, loved and feared in equal measure and beautifully portrayed in this stage version of the story.

The audience can never switch off in the performance, which continually challenges your perceptions and delivers exactly what you expect, but with a lilttle twist.

From dancing topiary to the seduction scene with a washing machine, Edward Scissorhands delivered from start to finish.

Such was the delight in the theatre that as the curtain came up for the second half the audience screamed with delight and when the evening was finally over that same audience stood, as one, to appreciate what they had just seen.

Amazing.