A visually stunning and emotionally charged adaptation of The Red Shoes takes to the stage at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle.
Over the past few years, I have unintentionally become something of a Matthew Bourne fan. Nutcracker!, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Midnight Bell and – a performance that brought me close to tears – Edward Scissorhands, have all been exquisite ballets.
His reimagining of these stories blends bold, contemporary dance with character-driven storytelling and all kinds of visual gorgeousness from the costumes and set designs. It’s no wonder his work with the New Adventures dance-theatre company always feels like a cinematic masterpiece brought to life on stage.
And right now, Newcastle audiences can experience all the splendour and drama of The Red Shoes – a double Olivier Award-winning production – currently in the midst of a two-week run at the Theatre Royal.
The story of The Red Shoes
Set in the 1940s, the show follows Victoria Page, a young dancer who rises to fame under the influence of the formidable impresario Boris Lermontov. She takes on the lead role in his company’s production of The Red Shoes – but at what cost does this success come?
Victoria falls in love with composer, Julian Craster, yet Lermontov demands absolute devotion to her art, believing that true greatness requires total sacrifice.
As she tussles between her onstage and offstage worlds, the red shoes themselves become a powerful symbol of her growing obsession with ambition and artistry.
Ultimately, she is torn between her love for Craster and her passion for her art, a conflict that drives the talented ballerina towards a heartbreaking end.
The production
True to Bourne’s style, each character’s emotions are communicated through nuanced movement and gestures.
With no dialogue to guide us, the storytelling rests on the captivating choreography, music and staging – and this is all truly compelling throughout.
The ballet within a ballet device is particularly effective. A revolving arch cleverly allows us to shift seamlessly between the world of performance and the reality of life behind the curtains, transforming us from audience members one moment into backstage observers the next.
Visually, the production is awash with sumptuous detail, perfectly capturing the glamour and decadence synonymous with this bygone era.
Amid all the feverish drama and tension, the performance is punctuated with lighter moments too. The ensemble work, most notably the beach scene at Monte Carlo, provides a welcome lift in tone.
By the final scene, I felt completely swept up in this world of passion, ambition and tragedy, and it left me curious to revisit the original (and equally dark) Hans Christian Andersen fairytale that inspired it.
The Red Shoes is at Newcastle Theatre Royal until 9th May 2026. For more details and tickets, visit www.theatreroyal.co.uk.
Photos: Johan Persson
