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BrumHour saw Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes at the invite of Birmingham Hippodrome.
For Brum Radio’s Interval Theatre, Isabella Chandler and Andy Monaghan spoke about their roles in this touring production. Listen below:
By George Elsmere-Whitney
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes at Birmingham Hippodrome: Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”Cinematic”
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes is a haunting exploration of obsession, possession, and the cost of ambition.
Inspired by The Red Shoes, the production follows rising ballerina Victoria Page (Cordelia Braithwaite) as she ascends within Ballet Lermontov. Caught between her own relentless drive for perfection, the controlling vision of impresario Boris Lermontov (Reece Causton), and the devotion of composer Julian Craster (Leonardo McCorkindale), Page’s life begins to echo the very ballet that makes her a star.
Braithwaite is utterly hypnotic in the role. She commands the stage with a magnetic presence that makes Victoria’s ascent, and eventual unravelling, feel both inevitable and devastating. Jackson Fisch is another standout as premier danseur Ivan Boleslawsky, bringing warmth, humour, and subtle emotional depth to the production.
Lez Brotherston’s set design is nothing short of ingenious. A rotating proscenium arch allows the action to glide effortlessly between performance and backstage worlds, moving from Covent Garden to Monte Carlo, from polished stage to chaotic wings. These behind-the-scenes moments are among the production’s most compelling, capturing the egos, anxieties, and relentless labour that underpin the glamour of ballet with sharp wit.
Brotherston’s costumes are equally striking, pairing sumptuous stagewear with richly detailed period dress. Combined with Bernard Herrmann’s sweeping score, orchestrated by Terry Davies, and Paule Constable’s masterful use of light and shadow, the production achieves a distinctly cinematic quality.
At its core, The Red Shoes asks an enduring question. What are we willing to sacrifice for art, and is greatness ever worth the cost? Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes is at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday, 21st March 2026. Book tickets here: birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/the-red-shoes-four.
