TIM BURTON - SCISSORHANDS BALLET SMASHES BOX OFFICE RECORDS

A dance adaptation of TIM BURTON movie EDWARD SCISSORHANDS has become an unexpected hit on the London stage - before it has even opened.

Ticket sales for the ballet, based on the JOHNNY DEPP movie, topped $1.8 million (GBP1 million) before its first night on Tuesday (22NOV05).

The staggering booking rush beat director MATTHEW BOURNE's own theatre box office record, and he is delighted that Burton snapped up 12 of the popular tickets.

Bourne requested the rights to the story - which follows a scientist who creates a young man with scissors for hands - almost 10 years ago from the maverick film-maker, but is grateful the project eventually materialised.

He says, "I gave up on it once or twice.

"I couldn't talk about it any longer and had to get it out of my head."