Dance REVIEW: Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes - ★★★★★

Mix Up Theatre (Stewart)
2 minutes ago
2 min read

Matthew Bourne’s magical double Olivier Award-winning production of the legendary Powell and Pressburger film, based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale.

An enchanting masterpiece

The Red Shoes  has captivated audiences and inspired generations of dancers with its powerful tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world.

Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a fierce struggle between the two men who inspire her passion. An intoxicating drama where life imitates art with fateful consequences, The Red Shoes  will dazzle your senses and break your heart.

Set to a score orchestrated by Terry Davies, featuring the mesmerizing music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, with sumptuous designs by Lez Brotherston (set and costumes), Paule Constable (lighting) and Paul Groothuis (sound).

Where?

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh - Part of UK Tour

WEBSITE

Maddie (Age 12) - ★★★★★

"Matthew Bourne's red shoes is a ballet within a ballet and based on a famous film.

It's the tale of Vicky Page who becomes a ballerina within Ballet lermentov. She stars in a production of red shoes which is based on a Hans Christian Anderson story. The shoes take over and she dances herself to death.

Vicky then has to choose between fame with the ballet company and love with a young composer. In the end she returns to the company with tragic results.

The lighting and costumes were amazing. The set seemed simple and effective. Special mention goes to the train!

I liked the effects which showed the ballet being performed to an audience including some loud clapping. There were many different dance styles and some really comedy characters.

My mum said it used the style of the film which was made in 1948."