Review by: Paul Towers, 16 May 2017
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes
A New Adventures production based on the 1948 film
inspired by the original story by Hans Christian Andersen
Curve 16 – 20 May 2017
“special as only Matthew Bourne does”
Every now and again I get asked to review something which I
just know I will like.
When it is a Matthew Bourne production I know it is going to
be something special.
Coming out of tonight’s performance of his The Red Shoes I
felt wrung out, emotionally drained. But, you may say, it is only dancing.
Saying that a Matthew Bourne piece is ‘just dancing’ is like
saying that Leonard Cohen is ‘just a singer’
If you were judging the show on just the dancing you would
be more than satisfied but Bourne’s New Adventures productions, especially when
touring, are masterpieces of visual spectacle. The set alone is worthy of anything
you would see in London’s West End with a motorised red velvet curtain mounted on
a gallery which has a life of its own as it swoops and glides around the stage
depicting first front of cloth then backstage, doors, walls and endless
partitions. Huge flying pieces of scenery drop in and out to suggest various
locations. Added to this physical set is the immensely imaginative lighting. The
follow spot is almost a character in its own right.
As is to be expected from the renowned choreographer the ‘serious’
dancing is entertainingly interspersed with camp, comic set pieces and,
completely without any dialogue, he manages to convey the shallow bitchiness
going on behind the scenes of the touring ballet company. There is even a
fantastically bad version of the sand dance as performed by Wilson, Kepple and
Betty (only without a Betty).
A hugely talented company of 25 dash back and forth off set
changing into seemingly dozens of costumes
While I would implore anyone with even the faintest interest
in dancing, and especially the parents of any teenage girl with ballet
aspirations, to get to see this masterpiece I fear that you will be out of luck
this time round in Leicester as the week is completely sold out with, I am
told, a waiting list of 200 for returns.
It is, of course, continuing to tour and full details are
found at http://new-adventures.net/the-red-shoes/tour-dates
First published on Western Gazette
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