The Red Shoes - Sadler's Wells

Doll that looks a bit like the protagonist

This was a birthday surprise for me and I got to sit in the FRONT ROW!

The Red Shoes is a new Matthew Bourne ballet, based on a fairy tale of the same name by Danish Master of Melancholy Hans Christian Andersen and, more directly, by a 1948 film. I knew nothing about the ballet's storyline and was slightly nervous it would be depressing both because of HCA's having inspired it and after seeing Bourne's Cinderella, which was depressing - set in London during the Blitz, with a thoroughly mis vibe. However, The Red Shoes was Bourne at his best: intensely atmospheric, joyful, poignant, beautiful, humorous and intelligent.

The Red Shoes is a story within a story, about a passionate, talented dancer who joins a ballet company touring Europe, falls in love, and plays the principal role in a ballet called 'The Red Shoes' (basically, a less macabre version of Anderson's story) after the prima ballerina is injured. It's set in the 1930s and the costumes were wonderful - high-waisted trousers, boyleg swimming costumes on both sexes, headbands...The sets were also excellent. Bourne's productions are so good at evoking strong atmospheres; it's one of my favourite things about them. The 'ballet within a ballet' was shown effectively by a smaller stage on the real stage, with curtains, which was revolved to display either 'onstage' or 'backstage', if that makes sense.

I loved the characterisation in this production; even the minor characters came over as having recognisable personalities. All the tradititional theatrical 'types' were represented in the ballet company: the morose, taciturn director; the flamboyant, impossible to satisfy choreographer; the supremely confident, languid prima ballerina; and the equally confident, somewhat camp principal male dancer (ballerino?). Ashley Shaw as Victoria Page, the wearer of the titular shoes, was exuberant, impassioned and beautiful to watch.

My favourite scenes:

• The Monte Carlo beach scene. The backdrop was a simple, minimalist blue sea design, and watching the dancers cavort happily about in their bathing outfits, tossing beach balls and simulating swimming, was a delight. 
• The performance of 'The Red Shoes'. The set was a stark white 1930s geometrical design - like something out of a dystopian film from that era. I loved the ensemble's fantastical black outfits and dances. The rendering of the story of a pair of enchanted shoes that force the wearer to dance to her death was dramatic and exciting.
• The seedy variety show scene, where the audience could see both the backstage action and what was happening 'onstage'. I felt sad for Victoria Page and her musician lover, Julian (Andrew Monaghan), whose glittering careers had deteriorated. I really liked the latter's story trajectory, by the way. The Red Shoes wasn't all about Victoria's love of dance, it was also about Julian's desire to progress his musical career.
• The sumptuous home of the director, which featured a huge pointe shoe sculpture.

I would highly recommend.

photo credit: Rinoninha 33/52 via photopin (license)

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