Matthew Bourne’s Dark Fairytale of Obsession, Sacrifice and the Dangerous Allure of Applause.
Few contemporary choreographers have reshaped the landscape of British dance theatre quite like Matthew Bourne. Over the past three decades, he has taken familiar stories and turned them inside out, revealing their darker undercurrents while making them thrillingly accessible to modern audiences. Among his most striking achievements is The Red Shoes, a production that returns to the Liverpool Empire stage as part of a major UK tour from New Adventures — and remains one of the crown jewels in Bourne’s repertoire.
Inspired by the 1948 film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, Bourne’s The Red Shoes draws on a story already steeped in artistic mythology. The original film is revered for its lush Technicolor palette and its haunting exploration of obsession, ambition and sacrifice. At its heart is the tale of a young ballerina forced to choose between love and her devotion to dance—a narrative that resonates as powerfully now as it did in post-war Britain.
Bourne’s stage adaptation, which premiered in 2016, does not simply recreate the film; it reimagines it through the muscular, cinematic language that has become his trademark. With a sweeping score drawn from Bernard Herrmann’s music for the film, and sumptuous designs that echo the heightened theatricality of the source material, the production captures the intoxicating pull of performance. The ballet within the ballet—the titular “Red Shoes”—becomes a fever dream of colour and movement, blurring the boundaries between reality and illusion.
Within Bourne’s canon, The Red Shoes occupies a particularly significant place. While earlier hits such as Swan Lake shattered expectations and cemented his reputation as a cultural provocateur, this work feels like a love letter to theatre itself. It distils many of the themes that have threaded through his career: the cost of creativity, the fragility of relationships under pressure, and the fierce, often destructive drive to succeed. Yet it does so with a maturity and visual opulence that signal a choreographer at the height of his powers.
Critically, the production has been greeted with widespread acclaim. Reviewers have praised its emotional sweep, meticulous staging and the strength of its ensemble performances. Bourne’s choreography moves seamlessly from intimate pas de deux to grand, ensemble spectacle, all while maintaining narrative clarity. The storytelling is precise but never mechanical; character and choreography are inseparable.
However, its popularity with audiences tells its own story. Each revival has drawn packed houses, testament not only to Bourne’s loyal following but also to the enduring allure of the narrative. The tension between art and life, love and ambition, feels timeless. In an age where creative careers are still marked by uncertainty and sacrifice, the central dilemma remains painfully relevant.
As The Red Shoes returns under the production banner of New/Adventures, it stands as both a celebration of Bourne’s artistic vision and a reminder of why his work continues to matter. Sumptuous, emotionally charged and unapologetically theatrical, this is dance storytelling at its most immersive—a production that invites us to lose ourselves in the glow of the footlights, even as it warns of the cost of staying there too long.
Unmissable.
New/Adventures presents Matthew Bourne’s production of The Red Shoes
24 – 28 February
Liverpool Empire
Tickets
