THE RED SHOES. Ashley Shaw as ‘Victoria Page’. Photo by Johan Persson

MATTHEW BOURNE’S THE RED SHOES – February 18-22

Matthew Bourne’s beautiful and double Oliver Award-winning adaptation of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale The Red Shoes is set to thrill audiences again at Norwich Theatre Royal from February 18-22.

Based on the 1948 Academy Award-winning movie starring Moira Shearer as the girl who dreamed of being a dancer, The Red Shoes first toured the UK in 2016 and visited Norwich in February 2017.

It is a 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 battleground between the two men who inspire her passion. The intoxicating drama shows life imitating art with fateful consequences, and it is set to dazzle senses and break hearts.

This new revival from Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company features a host of dancers from the original production. The show spent seven weeks at Sadler’s Wells over the Christmas period and now heads out on tour.

Matthew Bourne said: “I’m proud that for nearly 20 years, New Adventures has built an unprecedented audience for dance throughout the UK, and for this national tour of The Red Shoes, we will play over 200 performances across 21 leading regional large-scale theatres, more than any other UK dance company. We have an audience who are fiercely loyal, questioning and open-minded. As ever, I am grateful for their trust and enthusiastic support.”

He said he was thrilled that “most of the original leading cast will be returning, including Ashley Shaw in her multi award-winning performance as Victoria Page”, as well as ”several New Adventures rising stars, who will be performing in the production for the first time”.

Reece Causton, who hails from Kings Lynn, will share the role of the Svengali-like impresario Boris Lermontov with Glenn Graham and Ben Brown, while Ashley Shaw will share the role of Victoria Page with Cordelia Braithwaite.

Julian Craster is danced by Dominic North (who wowed Norwich audiences as Edward Scissorhands in 2015), sharing the role with Stephen Murray and Harrison Dowzell; Irina Boronskaja is shared by Sophia Hurdley and Katie Webb; and the role of Ivan Bolewlawsky will be danced by Jackson Fisch and Liam Mower (best known as the original Billy Elliot in the West End). The role of Grischa Ljubov will be shared by Glenn Graham, Liam Mower and Danny Reubens.

They are joined by Steph Billers, João Carolino, Cameron Flynn, Christina Rebecca Gibbs, Rose Goddard, Bryony Harrison, Daisy May Kemp, Kate Lyons, Matt Petty, Catrin Thomas, Jem Trim and Joshua White.

Set to the achingly romantic music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, the creative team behind so many of Matthew Bourne’s renowned productions also worked on the show, with regular musical collaborator Terry Davies orchestrating the score which is played by the New Adventures Orchestra, cinematic designs by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Groothuis and projection design from Duncan McLean.

The Red Shoes is supported using public funds by Arts Council England.

Judy Foster, Norwich Theatre Royal communications officer, said: “We‘re very excited this wonderful revival of Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes is returning to us. It was a stunning show first time around – so if you missed it then, be sure to grab some tickets this time. It is a compelling emotional story featuring some of the most exciting names in UK dance and the staging of it will take your breath away.”

Listing:
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes, Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 February, 2020. Eves 7.30pm. Thu & Sat matinee 2.30pm. Tickets £10-£46.50. Discounts for Friends, Over 60s, Under 18s and Groups. For more info or to BOOK ONLINE www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk