THEATRE THEATRE
FOR THE LATEST NEWS, LISTINGS AND
REVIEWS, GO TO LIST.CO.UK /THEATRE
MATTHEW BOURNE’S THE RED SHOES
Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale brought to vivid life
In theory, a dancer playing a dancer shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. But Victoria Page, the tragic heroine of 1948 fi lm The Red Shoes, is no ordinary ballerina. Torn between the man she loves and her overwhelming desire to perform, Page’s fate is eventually decided by the eponymous footwear. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale of the same name, Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes speaks to the dilemma many female dancers felt in the past, forced to choose between career and family. And as such, it’s a demanding role for any dancer to take on. ‘It’s certainly a very emotional role and by the end I’m very drained,’ says Ashley Shaw, one of the company members playing the role of Page. ‘But it’s also extremely rewarding throwing yourself into something like that. We did a lot of research, as we always do with Matthew’s shows, looking at the fi lm and learning about ballerinas who danced at that time. We immersed ourselves in that era, so acting-wise it feels very natural.’
First staged in 2016, Bourne’s take on The Red Shoes went on to win two Olivier Awards. Unlike most of the choreographer’s shows, it features classical pointe work, something Shaw feels is essential. ‘I was classically trained growing up, so it’s been great to go back to that. I love ballet, and it’s so important in this role; I don’t think it could be done any other way than with those red pointe shoes.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 12–Sat 16 May; Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Tue 19–Sat 23 May.
P H O T O
: J O H A N P E R S S O N
1 Apr–31 May 2020 THE LIST 93