Review: The Red Shoes at Lowry Theatre

“…evocative, vibrant and profound…”

The Red Shoes by Matthew Bourne, Lowry Theatre Salford

By Claire Walmsley

A lot of people told me how wonderful ‘The Red Shoes’ was, so I was extremely excited to go and watch it at the Lowry, Salford. I was not disappointed. It was utterly captivating from start to finish and I can’t wait to see another Matthew Bourne production in the future.

The story follows a rising star Victoria Page and her journey to becoming a prima ballerina. She’s torn between her love for the struggling composer Julian Craster and impressing the ballet impresario, Boris Lermontov. Her struggle is played out vividly with a compelling performance by Ashley Shaw. Her movements are graceful, energetic and flawless. The characterisation was perfect – her entire performance captures the anguish of Victoria Page expertly.

Lez Brotherston’s set was extremely impressive and clever. Most of the performance centres around a stage but the ingenious mechanism switched the audience’s viewpoint from front of stage to behind the scenes – a  move which gave great depth to the story. There was also a poignant moment in the performance highlighting the contrast between Lermontov’s  luxurious surroundings and Paige and Craster’s struggle, enhanced by the ingenious use of scenery. I won’t spoil the ending but the scenery in the finale was exceptional and that final scene took my breath away.

The choreography is phenomenal – Matthew Bourne is quite rightly revered as the UK’s most popular choreographer. It is clever, innovative and masterfully constructed. Every scene is an impressive spectacle of skill and an opulent visual display. The scenes are pacy and every dance advances the story. Even for someone less accustomed to ballets or dance performances, the story is accessible and easy to grasp. Whilst the pot is emotionally charged and deeply poignant, the moments of well-timed humour (usually from the ballet master portrayed by Glenn Graham) add nuance and depth to the story.

I really enjoyed the range of dances throughout the performance. Some were energetic while others were more intense and intimate. The fight scene between Victoria and Craster (performed magnificently by Dominic North) was captivating and emotional. The use of the red shoes was incredible and you could feel the emotions rippling off the stage. The group numbers were danced with precision and poise – every dancer was excellent. It’s hard to comprehend how much practice and dedication must have been needed to make those busy scenes look so flawless and effortless.

The standout scene for me was the ‘Ballet of the Red Shoes’ – a show within a show if you will. The mix of dances, the costumes, the principal dancers – it was just exquisite. The visual storytelling was superb. I enjoyed the use of lights and projector images to create the darker scenes and the dancing was breathtaking.

The Red Shoes is a masterclass in storytelling – it’s evocative, vibrant and profound. The roaring applause at the end was thoroughly well deserved.

The Red Shoes plays at Lowry Theatre until Saturday 29 November. Tickets are available here.

Claire Walmsley is a children’s author who pays the bills by teaching computer science to primary school pupils in Manchester. When she’s not writing, reading or fixing all the broken laptops at work, she likes to run and hike. As a long-term sufferer of Crohn’s Disease, she is always trying to inspire the next generation of chronic illness sufferers. You can find her first picture book here. Or follow Claire Walmsley – Children’s Author on all the socials.