The stage production of Tim Burton's classic film comes to The Mayflower in Southampton

Devised, directed and choreographed by the legendary Matthew Bourne, it runs from Tuesday, March 3 to Saturday, March 7.

Based on the classic Tim Burton film and featuring the beautiful and unforgettable music by Danny Elfman and Terry Davies, it tells the bittersweet story of a boy created by a lonely inventor who dies leaving him alone and unfinished.

Left with only scissors for hands, Edward must find his place in a strange suburban world where the well meaning community struggle to see past his appearance to the innocence and gentleness within.

Alternating in the title role is Liam Mower (along with Dominic North) who came to prominence as one of the three original Billy Elliots in the West End musical.

Now aged 22, Liam was recently seen in Billy Elliot Live, when he returned to the show to play “Older Billy”.

This is Liam’s fifth show with Matthew Bourne’s company New Adventures, having recently played The Prince in Swan Lake and Count Lilac in Sleeping Beauty.

Talking to the Daily Echo Liam revealed this is his toughest part yet.

“As a role it’s quite challenging – not only emotionally, but physically. It’s probably the most demanding thing I’ve ever done,” he said.

“Physically it was a bit of a shock to the system, having scissors for hands. The extra weight changes and effects your movement and balance, and because you don’t have your hands to do things for yourself, it’s challenging. I’ve never done a show before where I have to rely on other people.

"A lot of choreography happens on stage, but there’s a lot of choreography off stage too. It’s not easy picking up your water bottle and if you’re sweating you need other people to damp you down, but we have a good team of people at our sides all the time.”

“The scissorhands are like a leather glove with metal slots glued on to the fingers and then the scissors – which are actually made of plastic, so are not that dangerous!

“With the choreography you have to learn to move your body in a different way, but you soon become accustomed. After two hours you do feel tired and drained. The character goes through a lot in the story.

"First he has the mind of a baby and he learns so much along the way from the people he meets. The costume is a challenge as it’s a leather all-in-one suit that you are laced into for two hours and it gets very hot.

“Audiences obviously expect a lot of dancing, but a lot of people don’t expect such a heavy storyline. It tells a story and the audience meets all these crazy, lovely characters and people fall in love with them – especially Edward. It’s a very funny, comedic story, but also very moving.”

Liam is no stranger to physically challenging roles. He had to throw up at the side of the stage during his first run through for Billy Elliot after performing Angry Dance.

He said: “I was just in mid-pirouette when I just threw up everywhere. I literally projectile vomited! I was very young at that time, but you become accustomed to things quite quickly,” he assured me!

So how was it working for someone as highly acclaimed and inventive as Matthew Bourne?

“He’s wonderful to work with, says Liam. “Sometimes he doesn’t feel like your boss as he’s so on a par and so involved. He’s constantly coming to the show, noting things. He’s always striving for his shows to improve. He’s great to work with: he’s such a lovely, generous person.”

Whilst his father and three brothers played rugby and football, Liam started dancing at the age of nine.

“I always wanted to be a dancer. It’s always been quite clear what I wanted to do. It started as a hobby, but then I really, really loved it. I tried rugby and baseball, but I clearly hated it! When I found dance I knew that was what I want to do.”

His dancing teachers spotted his talent and love of dancing. He was offered a full scholarship at the Royal Ballet School where he boarded for a year – but Billy Elliot was to put an end to that.

“When I got the part of Billy Elliot I was juggling both and it became too much being in full time studies plus spending my evenings doing the show. It was an amazing time, but I had to make a choice. I was so fulfilled on stage that being with the Royal Ballet School didn’t seem so important. It was a big decision – it was hard, but at that young age you are fearless.

“My whole family was behind me. I’m extremely lucky. Some boys, even now, want to perform and dance, but don’t have that full backing.”

Apart from having strong family support – unlike Billy Elliot, it really has been a case of life mimicking art for Liam. He made the transformation from a young Billy to Swan Lake star, and his life has followed that of Billy as both were northern working-class boys who discovered dance.

He was the first Billy Elliot when Stephen Daldry’s hit film was transformed into an award-winning stage musical in 2005 — having seen his first glimpse of ballet as a young boy watching the movie in his native Hull.

And he repeated the path taken by the fictional child dancer when he took to the stage at Sadler’s Wells in Bourne’s Swan Lake.

The innovative production, with its famous company of male swans, is the show Billy stars in at the end of the film and musical.

When I remark on this strange parallel Liam laughs: “I promise I didn’t plan for it! It was amazing to go back and do that dance as the older Billy. It was always my favourite part of the show. It was quite a surreal experience.

"Seeing Adam Cooper make that giant leap at the end of Billy Elliot the movie, it was amazing to make that connection and dance in it myself. Plus doing Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake was a dream come true.”

How exciting was it at the age of 11 to have been involved in that first ever production of Billy Elliot and all the exposure that came with it?

“It blew up so much, but I was at an age where I was oblivious to it with all the media attention. But we were all well looked after and protected. I did lead an ordinary life even though I was living in London away from my family. It was an amazing experience to do such a role and even at that age I didn’t take it for granted.

“When you’re young you’re fearless, and I took everything in my stride and just got on with it."

 Tickets for Edward Scissorhands are available from the Mayflower theatre box office call: 023 8071 1811 or online at mayflower.org.uk.