Matthew Bourne’s the Red Shoes Milton Keynes Theatre This Week - Review and Interview

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The double Olivier Award-winning smash hit production comes to Milton Keynes Theatre from Tue 10 – Sat 14 Feb as part of a new UK Tour.
New Adventures is delighted to bring Matthew Bourne’s double Olivier award- winning, smash hit production of The Red Shoes to Milton Keynes Theatre, from Tue 10 – Sat 14 Feb as part of a UK tour.

Playing Victoria Page are Ashley Shaw, Cordelia Braithwaite, Hannah Kremer and Holly Saw, alongside Andy Monaghan and Reece Causton as Boris Lermontov, Dominic North and Leonardo McCorkindale as Julian Kraster, Michela Meazza, Cordelia Braithwaite and Katrina Lyndon as Irina Boronskaya, Liam Mower, Will Bozier and Jackson Fisch as Ivan Boleslawsky and Glenn Graham, Liam Mower and Reece Causton as Grischa Ljubov. They are joined by Mark Austin, Tom Barnes Standing, New Adventures Emerging Artist Isabella Chandler, Adam Davies, Cameron Flynn, Anna-Maria de Freitas,Christina Gibbs, Thomas Ireson, Rosanna Lindsey, Callum Mann, Daisy May Kemp, Jarrod McWilliams, Matthew Potulski, Molly Shaw-Downie, Kingston Taylor, Shakiera Ward and Daisy West.

Simon interviewed Shakiera Ward 

Matthew Bourne said: “I’m thrilled to announce that 11 of the original cast of The Red Shoes, which premiered in 2016, are returning for this 10th Anniversary production, performing the roles they created, possibly, for the last time. This is something that no New Adventures fan will want to miss!

Simon From Mid Morning Show Saw the Show on 10th Feb

I think what I love most about a Matthew Bourne ballet is how accessible it is for "non-ballet watchers." The Red Shoes tells the story of a dancer forced to choose between the man she loves and her obsession with dance—a choice that proves to be fatal.

The show opens with a fantastic rotating proscenium arch that glides back and forth, effortlessly whisking us from the front of the curtain to the world behind it. The 1940s setting is captured beautifully through the hair and costumes. As we follow the company on tour through London, Monte Carlo, and Villefranche-sur-Mer, the production leans into that glamorous 1940s Hollywood musical style, blending contemporary movement with classical ballet.

We meet the formidable Impresario Boris Lermontov (Andy Monaghan), the ambitious Victoria Page (Cordelia Braithwaite), and the struggling composer Julian Craster (Dominic North). Bourne brilliantly parodies the "daily grind" of company life—from the ego of the aging prima ballerina to the rigid discipline of the Ballet Master.

The momentum builds when the lead dancer is injured, giving Vicky her big break in a new ballet commissioned by Lermontov. The transition to the South of France is a highlight, featuring a vibrant beach scene inspired by vintage holiday posters and Busby Berkeley choreography, complete with clever "swimming" and beach balls. Act I concludes with the Red Shoes premiere—a 15-minute expressionistic sequence where the story of the girl who dances to death mirrors Vicky’s own rising obsession. It is an enthralling end to the first half.

Act II ramps up the passion and tension. After Lermontov discovers Vicky and Julian's secret romance, he forces an ultimatum: "Art" or "Love." Choosing Julian, Vicky is cast out, moving from the glamour of Monte Carlo to a "deliciously downbeat" East End music hall featuring seedy variety acts and comedy camels. The toll of their cramped London bedsit and Julian’s writer's block leads to a tragic breaking point. When Lermontov tempts her back for one last performance, the tug-of-war between the two men—and the shoes themselves—leads to her famous, explosive end under a train.

I had no idea of the story before I arrived, yet I "got" it completely. The metaphors are powerful, and while I had to look up the train reference later, the emotion was crystal clear. If you love fantastic music, incredible sets, and expressive dance, delight yourself with this show—just don't put on the red shoes!

The Red Shoes was the culmination of a twenty-year ambition to bring Powell and Pressburger's seminal 1948 film to the stage. It was also, in many ways, a personal love letter to a life in theatre and dance. This production was certainly a landmark event for New Adventures, becoming an instant
classic and a beloved addition to our repertoire. I’m so happy to see it return this year, especially as our last tour in 2020 was sadly cut short by the pandemic and left many of our loyal audiences throughout the UK disappointed.

So, welcome back to the Ballet Lermontov and to paraphrase the great impresario himself… ‘It's time to put on the red shoes, Vicky, and dance for us again....’” A sell-out before its world premiere season opened in 2016, Matthew Bourne’s triumphant adaptation of the legendary film went on to win Best Entertainment at the 2017 Olivier Awards, with Matthew Bourne winning the award for Best Theatre Choreographer. The show then returned for a national tour in 2019. A timeless fairytale and Academy Award-winning movie, 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.

Matthew Bourne’s magical double Olivier Award-winning production of the legendary Powell and Pressburger film is set to a score orchestrated by Terry Davies, featuring the mesmerising music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, with sumptuous designs by Lez Brotherston (set and costumes), Paule Constable (lighting) and Paul Groothuis (sound).

An intoxicating drama where life imitates art with fateful consequences, The Red Shoes will dazzle your senses and break your heart. THE RED SHOES is supported using public funds by Arts Council England.

Tickets are on sale now and are available at ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes