If you follow my blog, you’ll know that last year I had the momentous pleasure of seeing my first New Adventures production with Matthew Bourne’s  Swan Lake. Having enjoyed that production as much as I did, I wanted to make an effort to try and see more of his productions. That in mind, I started off my theatregoing in the best way: a trip to Sadler’s Wells to catch the return of Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes.

Originally premiering in 2016 and going on to become a double Olivier award winning smash as well as an LA Critics Award for its choreography and set/costume design, The Red Shoes returns to Sadler’s Wells before continuing on its UK tour until June.

Based on the 1948 Powell & Pressburger film of the same name and the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, we follow a young ballet dancer Victoria Page who, determined to follow her dream of becoming a great artist, finds herself trapped between the attentions of the enigmatic ballet impresario Boris Lermontov, and composer Julian Craster.

I hadn’t seen the film and only know the fairytale very vaguely so was coming to this with fresh eyes, which I think was the best way for me in terms of appreciating what Bourne wanted to explore in the piece: it didn’t really explore Victoria’s relationships with these men to the extent I had been expecting, and instead looks more at the artist’s relationship with the art they create and the lengths they are willing to go to in order to achieve their vision and maintain their talents. That spoke to me both as a creative and as a fan of the theatre and dance industries, and ended up being a really striking dynamic to play with and watch unfold. It’s quite dark in places which I really enjoy, but it also had wit and humour that  I wasn’t expecting, so the whole experience was really intense and moving.

It’s also impeccably staged, particularly in terms of the set and lighting design. Lez Brotherston’s proscenium arch set revolves seamlessly from front to backstage, dreams and reality; it almost feels like a dancer itself, which gives the whole production another element of depth. The props and costume design is also incredibly evocative of the time period and location: it’s 1940 and we move from London to the French Riviera. Paule Constable’s lighting design oozes class and atmosphere, especially striking in the famous “Ballet of The Red Shoes” sequence. During which, the set becomes more modern: a collection of white frames that emphasise the shadows at play as well as Duncan Maclean’s moody weather conditions. I particularly liked the choreography during this scene as it had shades of Fosse, and much like with my first experience of Bourne’s work, I was astonished by the ease in which he blends the contemporary dance elements with the more traditional ballet; it’s always refreshing and exciting to me and I want to continue learning about and exposing myself to his style.

And what a company we have telling this story: here was my cast board for the matinee! Before we even began the piece, this excited me immensely: it featured my Prince and Private Secretary from Swan Lake: Dominic North and Glenn Graham… I was so thrilled that I was lucky enough to be seeing them dance again. It was also an exciting prospect to be seeing Liam Mower in the flesh, he was the Prince when I saw Swan Lake a second time during the cinema broadcast.

As the young composer Julian, Dominic was immensely charming and likeable it’s easy to see why the young starlet would fall for him. The confidence Dominic instills within his characters arcs is always a joy to watch: whether he be dancing solo or with a partner. The scene where Julian was composing for the ballet with (unbeknown to him) Lermontov watching from the shadows was one of my highlights of the entire piece!

 

Interestingly, I felt that Lermontov could have had more to do – frustratingly he remained too much of an enigma! That’s in no way Glenn’s fault – he is a striking presence as he checks on Victoria’s progress, and later when he banishes his muse with a look that teeters dangerously into hate from sadness, it just feels a tad too restrained and I wanted to see more of those flashes of danger and what makes him tick. Having said that, Glenn makes the most of everything: my favourite duet of all was the one between Craster and Victoria; it’s bold, adventurous and the lifts made my head spin. Glenn’s Craster is every inch  charisma, and I consider it my immense privilege to have seen him dance the role.

Elsewhere, Liam Mower is a laugh riot as ballet master Ljubov, and Michela Meazza wonderful as the company’s Prima Ballerina. There’s a sequence early on when, alone, she shows off the moves she’ll be performing, a costume in tow. It’s funny, and a window into life backstage. The production evokes so much about dance and the people in the industry, it celebrates these personalities with just enough tongue in cheek fun! Again, Bourne’s direction showcases his lightness of touch and his ever present love for and understanding of his art form.

Anchoring it all though, is Ashley Shaw in a radiant turn as Victoria. She evokes every possible emotion as she finds herself falling under the spell of the shoes and the lure of stardom, and is completely enchanting doing so.

That’s my second New Adventures production ticked off now, and it was every bit as striking and imaginative as the first. I’ll continue making good on my promise to see more of their work!