When the lights went down at the Wales Millennium Centre last night, there was a noticeable hush across the packed Donald Gordon Theatre. Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company has built a reputation for bold storytelling through dance, and the return of THE RED SHOES reminded everyone exactly why audiences keep coming back. From the opening moments to the final curtain, the production held our complete attention. At times you could almost feel the entire theatre breathing together.
Inspired by the Powell and Pressburger film and Hans Christian Andersen’s darker fairy tale, Matthew’s version tells the story of Victoria Page, a young dancer caught between love and ambition. It is a tale of obsession, art, and the price of greatness. The production manages to feel both grand and intimate at the same time. It moves through rehearsal rooms, theatres, glamorous society settings and the haunting world of the ballet itself with remarkable confidence.
At the centre of the story is HANNAH KREMER as Victoria Page. Her performance is captivating from the moment she appears. Hannah brings both vulnerability and fierce determination to the role. She dances with clarity and strength, yet also manages to convey the emotional pull of a young woman discovering the intoxicating power of performance. Her work in the central ballet sequences is particularly impressive, full of controlled precision but never losing its emotional core.
Opposite her, REECE CAUSTON plays the imposing impresario Boris Lermontov. It’s a commanding performance. Reece captures the intensity of a man who believes art must come above everything else. His presence on stage carries a quiet authority that draws the eye, even when he is not dancing. Lermontov is both mentor and manipulator, and Reece balances those qualities with subtlety.
LEORNADO McCORKINDALE gives Julian Craster, the struggling composer, a warm humanity that makes the character instantly relatable. His chemistry with Hannah adds an emotional layer that grounds the story. You can feel the pull between artistic ambition and personal happiness that drives much of the narrative.
The company itself is in superb form. Every ensemble moment feels polished and purposeful. This is clearly a troupe that knows the choreography inside out. The precision of the group numbers is impressive, but what stands out even more is how each dancer still brings personality to the stage.
HOLLY SAW delivers a memorable performance as Irina Boronskaya, the established prima ballerina who becomes a key figure in Victoria’s journey. There is confidence and elegance in her movement that perfectly suits the character. JACKSON FISCH as Ivan Boleslawsky, the premier danseur, brings an athletic presence and confident style that lifts every scene he appears in.
LIAM MOWER also deserves special mention as Grischa Ljubov. His character is part ballet master, part choreographer, and part performer in his own right. Liam clearly relishes the theatricality of the role, adding a layer of humour and personality that enriches the wider company scenes.
The supporting cast contribute enormously to the life of the production. Rosanna Lindsey as Nadia and Shakiera Ward as Svetlana bring sharp character work to their appearances. Daisy West as Beryl and Isabella Chandler as Pamela add charm and energy, while Matthew Potulski, Callum Mann and Kingston Taylor help create the bustling world of the ballet company as Mikhail, Anton and Serge.
Tom Barnes Standing, Cameron Flynn and Mark Austin also add texture to the production as Frederic, Sergei Ratov and Dimitri. Christina Rebecca Gibbs moves between several roles, including Lady Neston, Joyce and Edith, with great versatility. These performances might be smaller in scale but they help build the vivid theatrical world Matthew Bourne has created.
Musically the show is superb. The score, adapted from Bernard Herrmann’s film music, fills the theatre with rich orchestration and dramatic tension. The sound design deserves particular praise. At one point you genuinely feel as if waves are rolling in behind you, such is the immersive quality of the audio across the Donald Gordon Theatre. It creates an atmosphere that surrounds the audience and draws us further into the story.
Visually the production is equally striking. The set design shifts seamlessly between locations with an elegance that feels almost cinematic. Scenes glide into one another without breaking the rhythm of the story. One moment we are backstage at a theatre and the next we are inside a dazzling ballet sequence. It all happens with such precision that the transitions feel effortless.
The ballet within the story is where the production really opens up visually. Costumes, lighting and choreography combine to create images that stay in the mind long after the curtain falls. Yet the show is not all intensity. Matthew has always understood the value of humour and it appears here in some wonderfully playful moments.
The music hall sequence in particular had the audience laughing out loud. It is genuinely funny and provides a welcome contrast to the darker themes running through the story. These lighter moments make the emotional scenes that follow feel even more powerful.
First time viewers should be aware that the structure of the show is deliberately clever. The story unfolds as a performance within a performance, which means the end of the first half may leave you briefly wondering exactly what has happened. That moment of confusion is intentional. The audience itself becomes part of the theatrical illusion, a reminder that we are watching both a story and the creation of that story.
If you want to know more about the production and its background, our feature article offers a deeper look at the show and its legacy:
HERE
What makes The Red Shoes special is the balance it achieves. It’s visually beautiful but never shallow. It’s dramatic but never heavy handed. Matthew Bourne and his company understand how to tell a story through movement in a way that feels both accessible and emotionally powerful.
By the time the curtain call arrived, the reaction from the audience said everything. The applause was immediate and sustained. After spending an evening with performances of this quality, it was impossible not to feel that we had witnessed something rather special.
Quite simply, The Red Shoes remains a triumph. It is elegant, entertaining, and deeply moving in equal measure. If this production has been on your ‘must see’ list, it is absolutely worth the trip.
THE RED SHOES is at Wales Millennium Centre through to Saturday 7th March. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Thursday and Saturday. For more details and tickets, go HERE.
