Sir Matthew Bourne and New Adventures have announced a new production of The Red Shoes, based on the famous film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale.
The world premiere will be at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on Monday November 21, 2016, a short run there followed by a week at the Lowry then an eight week Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells from Tuesday December 6 to Sunday January 29, 2017.
Likely to be another Bourne winner, The Red Shoes has delighted audiences and dancers for generations.
Creating the coveted role of Victoria Page, who loves to dance but whose ambitions becaome a battleground between two men, will be the Australian Ashley Shaw. Dancing with New Adventures since 2009, she is presently appearing as Aurora in Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty.
Matthew Bourne says: “It has been a long held ambition of mine to bring The Red Shoes to the stage as a dance/drama. It is set in the theatrical world of a touring dance company. It is actually about dance and dancers, a world that we all understand so well. However, the film’s genius is to make that theatrical world at times surreal, larger than life and highly cinematic. My challenge will be to capture some of that surreal, sensuous quality within the more natural theatre setting.”
The creative team for new work reunites some Bourne regulars including with his regular Lez Brotherston, who will no doubt come up with some striking sets and costumes. A new score will be arranged by Terry Davies using the music of golden-age Hollywood composer, Bernard Herrmann.
Tour venues and dates
November 21-26, 2016: Plymouth Theatre Royal. On sale from April 14.
November 29-December 3: The Lowry, Manchester. On sale from April 8.
December 6-January 29, 2017: Sadler’s Wells, London. On sale now.
January 31-February 4: New Victoria Theatre, Woking. On sale soon.
February 7–11: Birmingham Hippodrome. On sale soon.
February 14-18: Milton Keynes Theatre. On sale soon.
February 21–25: Theatre Royal, Norwich. On sale August.
March 7-11: Theatre Royal, Nottingham. On sale April 13.
March 14-18: Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. On sale soon.
March 21-25: The Mayflower, Southampton. On sale soon.
March 28-April 1: Alhambra Theatre, Bradford. On sale soon
April 4-9: Bristol Hippodrome. On sale soon
April 11-15: New Wimbledon Theatre. On sale soon