The Red Shoes ★★★★ Sadler's Wells Theatre | Dec 2, 2025 - Jan 18, 2026


Taking inspiration from the 1948 Powell and Pressburger film, Matthew Bourne has created a sumptuous interpretation of The Red Shoes that bears his unmistakable signature while honouring Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of artistic obsession. The production possesses a strikingly cinematic quality and moves with remarkable fluidity from scene to scene. Lez Brotherston’s set design masterfully shifts between the world onstage and the more intimate realm behind the curtain, allowing the audience to experience both the external praise afforded to the young dancer Victoria Page and the private turmoil that drives her. Paule Constable’s expressive lighting enriches these transitions with subtle and atmospheric precision. Indeed, the staging of this production is extraordinarily rich, creating layers of visual interest that can border on overwhelming. As Page, Cordelia Braithwaite conveys her character’s emotional struggle with exceptional clarity, capturing the tension between her devotion to art and her longing for love. Her technical skill and expressive depth make her performance deeply compelling, and her pas de deux with Leonardo McCorkindale, playing Julian Craster the young composer whom she loves, provides some of the evening’s most memorable moments. In the role of Boris Lermontov, the manipulative impresario whose influence shapes Page’s destiny, Andy Monaghan brings a commanding presence to the stage that is absolutely arresting. Bourne’s choreography offers a visual and emotional feast, ranging from the playful vitality of the beach scenes to the graceful refinement of the ballet sequences. The variety and inventiveness are exhilarating, although at times during the ensemble work the stage is so rich with detail that the eye can scarcely keep pace. The production relies on the music of Bernard Herrmann which is drawn from an impressively diverse selection of his work. It is used with inspired imagination and is amazingly appropriate, enhancing the dramatic power of the narrative throughout. If there is any minor reservation, it might be that the staging and strong narrative focus occasionally overshadow the dancing itself. This is a production that invites a second visit, simply because it offers such an abundance of artistry to absorb.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Johan Persson

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Rosebery Ave, London EC1R 4TN, UK

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