The Red Shoes at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford upon Avon Review.
This Christmas, get up close to Andersen's dark fairy tale where a young woman's beautiful pair of red shoes takes her places she doesn't wish to go
The Red Shoes at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford upon Avon Review.
The Royal Shakespeare Company have been producing special seasonal shows for a fair few years now. Unlike the traditional pantomime though they egenrally take a classic story and then put their own inventive spin on it.
One of may favourite shows previously over the Christmas period was Wendy and Peter Pan which had a spectacular set and featured the usual flawless cast.
What is the Christmas show this year?
This year the show is The Red Shoes.
'What’s wrong with wanting to dance?'
Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world, or so they say.
When an orphaned young woman is taken in by some local do-gooders, she is expected to be seen and not heard. Dazzled by a pair of beautiful shoes, she sees the chance to do and be so much more, but soon her feet betray her, taking her to places she does not wish to go.
This Christmas, get up close to the magic as playwright Nancy Harris brings Hans Christian Andersen’s dark fairy tale into the 21st century in the intimate surroundings of the Swan Theatre.
Directed by Kimberley Rampersad (Associate Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival, Canada) in her RSC debut, The Red Shoes is both a magical story and cautionary tale of pride, vanity and how we all deserve to dance how we wish to dance.
Where and When is the show on... The Red Shoes is currently playing at
The Swan Theatre as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Stratford-upon-Avon
Until 19 Jan 2025
Plot Synopsis for the Red Shoes. What is the story of the Red Shoes?
Synopsis
After the death of her mother, Karen is left orphaned and taken in by distant relatives, Mariella and Bob Nugent. In their strange home, Karen encounters their unsettling son, Clive, who has a penchant for cutting things, and Mags, a nearly blind housekeeper. The Nugents soon discover Karen's love of dance and force her to perform for them, only to mock her when they see her clumsy moves.
Mariella proudly flaunts her expensive wardrobe, especially a stunning pair of red shoes crafted by Sylvestor, the world’s finest shoemaker. Mags, feeling sorry for Karen’s ill-fitting shoes, takes her to meet Sylvestor, where Karen is drawn to the mesmerizing red pair. As soon as she puts them on, Karen’s dancing transforms—she is graceful and confident, a dancer she never knew she could be.
Wearing the red shoes to a dinner party at the Nugents’ home, Karen dances for the guests, but soon the shoes take on a life of their own. The chaotic performance ends in disaster, with Mags suffering a heart attack.
In an attempt to make amends, Karen offers to care for Mags full-time. But when the Nugents leave her alone with Mags, who is feverish, the shoes reappear, along with an invitation to a mysterious ball in the forest hosted by Sylvestor. Karen knows she shouldn’t go, but the temptation is too strong.
Spoiler Alert! Proceed with caution if you don’t want to know the ending...
At the ball, Karen meets a Prince, who is captivated by her dancing. However, when she tries to leave, Sylvestor prevents her, and the red shoes drag her deeper into the forest. Clive finds Karen and delivers the crushing news that Mags has passed away. Desperate to stop the relentless dancing, Karen pleads with Clive for help, but the only way to free her from the shoes is to cut off her feet.
Later, as Karen lies in bed, Mags’ ghost appears, reminding her that she has a gift and doesn’t need feet to dance.
With renewed determination, Karen uses crutches to return to the forest. The Prince finds her again but recoils in horror when he sees that she has no feet, revealing his shallow nature. As snow begins to fall, Karen begins to dance once more, free from the constraints of her physical form.
Who is in the Cast of The Red Shoes at the RST in Stratford unpn Avon?
Cast
Ensemble
Julie Armstrong
Karen
Nikki Cheung
Ensemble
Momar Diagne
Bob
James Doherty
Clive
Joseph Edwards
Ensemble
Caití Ellen
Ensemble
Anya Ferdinand
Onstage Swing
Leslie Garcia Bowman
Ensemble
Michael Lin
Prince
Kody Mortimer
Onstage Swing
Mia Musakambeva
Mariella
Dianne Pilkington
Mags
Sakuntala Ramanee
Ensemble
Ben Redfern
Sylvestor /Priest
Sebastien Torkia
Ensemble
Alexandra Waite-Roberts
Creatives
Playwright
Nancy Harris
Director & Choreographer
Kimberley Rampersad
Set & Costume Designer
Colin Richmond
Lighting Designer
Ryan Day
Composer
Marc Teitler
Sound Designer
Gregory Clarke
Illusionist
Paul Kieve
Casting Director
Charlotte Sutton CDG
Music Supervisor, Orchestrator & Arranger
Jennifer Whyte
Music Director
Tom Slade
Voice & Dialect
Edda Sharpe
Associate Designer
Bethan Wall
Assistant Director
Rohan Dhupar
