Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures production of The Red Shoes is incredibly captivating, impactful and thought-provoking. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s 1845 fairytale and the 1948 film co-directed by Powell and Pressburger, Bourne’s adaptation provides an expertly curated show that translates perfectly onto the stage.
In Bourne’s own words, the creation of The Red Shoes as a stage show has been a “twenty-year ambition” of his and “ a personal love letter to a life spent in theatre and dance.” The show — which debuted in 2016 — was interrupted in its previous tour due to the pandemic, and as a result the company has been long awaiting to complete its run. Returning with eleven of the original cast members, it offers a play within a play, a story of the dreams and obsessions of Victoria Page and the disruption to these by the deceitful and emblematic red shoes.
At its core, it tells of a love story between two young artists: Page, a dancer played powerfully by Cordelia Braithwaite, and Julian Craster, a composer skilfully portrayed by Jarrod McWilliams. The tension woven throughout comes from the decision they face between their love and their desire to attain the highest artistic achievement in their careers. These achievements are represented by the dance company’s impresario, Boris Lermontov, (played by the talented Andy Monaghan).
It is through the portrayal of Lermontov that the show’s main message is conveyed: the philosophy that nothing matters in life but art. Lermontov possesses the belief that one cannot be a great artist and fulfill their potential if distracted by human love. Bourne comments on this in an interview, stating how The Red Shoes is asking us “to take art seriously as a life-changing force: something that gives intense joy but also asks for and requires sacrifice.” The ‘red shoes’ themselves are key to reinforcing this message, as the wearer will not be able to stop dancing, something that proves fatal and feeds the tragedy of the show.
The music — by renowned Hollywood composer, Bernard Herrmann — is highly effective in accompanying the ballets, but also in helping convey the story. For a wordless dance piece, the music is a key communicator of the emotions of Page, Craster and Lermontov, and the backstage life of the company.
The Red Shoes provides a pleasurable and eccentric experience. The show holds at its core this tension between artistic ambitions and personal lives, conveying the idea that art is something worth fighting and even dying for. Bourne’s production immerses the audience completely into a world fuelled by artistic endeavour that they — like Victoria Page — find themselves not wanting to leave.
Photo by Johan Persson, courtesy of Capital Theatres.