Review: THE RED SHOES, Sadler’s Wells
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Sadler’s Wells Theatre now stages a comeback of Matthew Bourne’s award-winning production of The Red Shoes, 10 years on from its debut. This is a production that covers the transcendent relevance of a classic, with reference to both the original Hans Christian Andersen tale and the seminal 1948 film. Now, we are faced with the challenge of capturing in words the storytelling prowess of a production that doesn’t need any.
First off, to the people who do themselves the disservice of writing off the ballet: – Matthew Bourne, having established something of an iconic status in the world of ballet over the years, may, for the unexperienced, trigger expectations fitting the bill of classical and traditional, and therefore ‘old-fashioned’ and ‘boring’ but it is important to understand that this is just not the case. Rather, Bourne’s contribution to the art is one of inherent inspired whimsy genius.
The staging is elaborate yet understated. At a purely-aesthetic-focused first glance, we have taken our seats before a window into a fairytale, but we could not have imagined the magic it turned out to have. The boundaries of the stage and the perspective of us as an audience are totally reimagined and innovative use of set becomes the border between two minds, or two sides of a coin – performance and reality, perfection and imperfection – culminating a neat package of a narrative in chilling, thought-provoking parallels. These same strong established ties threaten an ironic unravelling in places but hold steady in the celebration of creativity that rules supreme on this stage, advocating for give and suspension. The stretch in forgiveness, and arguably the fall of the fifth star, comes in the brief distractions that take us out of that.
The essence of this production stands in the space teetering over the line from theatrical to cinematic. A backdrop of classical music folds in experiments with well-known movie scores. Our stage becomes a camera, framing intricate, artistic compositions with symmetry and synchronisation. Lighting is used expertly to produce seamless transitions and, following a natural path from the title of the show, promote costume and colour to lead character – and don’t worry, no one forgot the sharp dramatic punch of a stark buzzing spotlight.
A gem of a detail is the way New Adventures play into the silent nature of the show. Moments of extended open silence take us back to the theatricality of the piece, stewing in the unique energy of live performance. Vocalisations connect and trigger warm giggles from the crowd and, over the primal use of music for emotion and narrative gain, we hear feet of dancers land and characterised breath escape their lips, as they go just beyond pretending and we are grounded in the moment.
Bourne’s choreography spans the spectrum of the expressive capability in the art of dance and teaches us easily to become fluent in its language, dipping into various styles including comic parody. Highlight numbers stand out for the exceptional way that they deal frequent changes in tempo and the consequent demand for emphasis, producing a delightful sense of tension, both emotionally and physically.
The production sees a talented intimate cast rehearsed in multiple roles which brings to light the exciting potential of seeing an entirely original artistic display from one show to another. Pockets charged with creativity become a love letter to dance as small details of same sex pas de deux and almost-ceremonial naming of individual ensemble parts on the cast sheet speak to the flourishing personality at the centre of the show and moments of shining relatability to the dance community build a world we not only recognise but invest in fondly – as we play out the all-too-familiar tale of overbearing producers and struggling artists.
Liam Mower, taking on the part of the in-narrative company’s principal dancer, Ivan, shines with fluidity, grace and wonderful skill in partnering. He brings to the stage a somehow-lovable smugness, choosing to let the fire in Ivan give us a sort of warmth simultaneous to his drive and passion – a refreshing image of the kind of lead a company hopes for.
His counterpart in the pursuit of picture-perfect dancing, Michela Meazza’s portrayal of, Prima Ballerina, Irina is an interesting watch. Her performance comes with some questions for a visible effort and heaviness in her steps. There is a bitterness to her character, contrasting the airy flight of our Victoria, who – along with Julian – dances with a pursuit that is as inevitable and effortless as a daydream. We see a change in Meazza in the Act Two numbers. Could it be that characterisation is simply that powerful and costume makes that much of a difference? Was it a conscious decision to further their differences? Either way in this one cast member is inspired a flitting from feeling to questioning.
Cordelia Braithwaite’s dreamy posture makes for a dreamy presence in her portrayal of Victoria. From phenomenal musicality, to pleasing interactions with all scene partners to dancing on untied pointe shoes, her performance style is full of highlights. Leonardo McCorkindale as ‘The Composer’ Julian is a wonderfully expressive dancer. He stages a Julian who is all too easy to romanticise, and an overall performance of expertly placed control and energy.
Act Two sees a definitive breakthrough in chemistry between the two, explored in the most beautiful still way. In a production that needs no words, falling in love needs no choreography, it is in just being close to one another. The narrative structure as a whole is something to behold. Giving the first act a perceived happy ending, with only a hint of the hardship to follow, and allowing the next to begin still basking in that elation is different to what we can call a ‘typical theatre experience’ – and it has me questioning that norm. Maybe the West End can learn a thing or two from the ballet. Spacing out the journey and emotional payoff of the storyline may have just ironed out the final kinks – it sure seems like a simple answer the Act-Two-is-always-worse issue to me.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Louisa Clarke
The Red Shoes plays at London’s Sadler’s Wells until 18 January, with further info here.
