One might call this production the poetry of motion, but it is a great deal more – it is one’s religion practiced in rarefied atmosphere
How does one go about adapting a critically acclaimed piece of art, giving it the sheen of something fresh, extracting new meaning, while also retaining its core spirit that made it so well-loved in the first place?
Well, when life gives one lemons, one is inclined to make lemonade.
In 1948, famed duo Powell and Pressburger’s The Red Shoes hit the big screen, following ballerina Victoria Page as she makes her way through the cutthroat dance company of Boris Lermontov. The film itself is based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale of the same name which was first published almost an entire century before the film’s release. In adapting it from the page, Powell and Pressburger did not merely stick to the mould but instead crafted an entirely new metafictional story about obsession, art, love, and ambition.
Almost seventy years on from that, Matthew Bourne and his company New Adventures once again transformed The Red Shoes, this time from one of the most significant entries in the history of film into the medium of ballet – and what delicious lemonade he makes!
In the latest UK tour of this double Olivier Award-winning production, Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes continues to sparkle and entrance, living up to its history and reputation with its imaginative choreography, gorgeous sets and costumes, and beautiful and sensitive acting.
In truth, this ballet does not change much of the film’s story. It follows most of the plot beats familiar to those who have had the pleasure of seeing the film beforehand, but it is a straightforward enough story that you are not disadvantaged by going into this production without prior viewing. To further ease any doubts, the dancing, while dynamic, is expressed in an accessible manner that allows you to understand what is going on while also exciting you at the same time. Even the infamously fantastical centrepiece of the film is nowhere near as surrealistic or conceptual on stage, with simple shades of black and white used to make the red of the shoes stand out.
Though this production of The Red Shoes does not have surprises lying in wait, this is to its advantage as it effectively evokes the atmosphere of the film, allowing it to play in the same spaces of emotions. One way in which this is done is through its plentiful sets. While nothing can ever quite touch what Technicolour magic can do for the French Riviera, Lez Brotherston’s set and costume designs brings the beauties of Paris and Monte Carlo to you, an almost cinematic panacea to a cold and dreary Glasgow January.
Dancing in the fictional Europe of the 1940s is Hannah Kremer who plays the protagonist Victoria, and she does the famous character justice, letting Vicky’s strength, vulnerabilities, and indecisions shine through not just her ballet but her acting too, and you cannot help but sympathise with her. Opposite her is Reece Causton as the indomitable Lermontov who, in costume and makeup, more than resembles his film counterpart in looks. More importantly though, he also carries himself with the same presence, and you cannot help but be aware of him no matter where he is on stage at all times, his steps always demanding your attention. Together, they form an exceptional couple – just like a pair of matching shiny red shoes.