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Matthew Bourne/New Adventures: The Red Shoes, 2016


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I took three teenage girls (who all dance recreationally) to see this last night and I enjoyed it much more than last week. The dancing in the ballet sequences seemed to be better and I found the characterisation more developed. Possibly seeing it from above helped as well. I think that what put me off a bit last week was Dominic North (a favourite of mine) being paired with a dancer who was far too tall for him in the salon and the Les Sylphides scenes. I felt that Liam Mower was rather more convincing in the same role (he got the camp comedy spot on) and he also had the benefit of a more suitable partner height-wise. The girls all loved it and particularly commented on the music which is so atmospheric, and beautiful at times. I was puzzled by the score. In some parts there was piano music but it was not being played by the pianist in the pit and I think that this may also have also happened with the strings at times. Are there two scores, one for when recorded music only is being used and the other for when there is also a live orchestra? An earlier poster has mentioned a problem with the amplification / distortion of the music at one performance but I experienced no such problem at either of the performances which I attended.

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Dear Reader, I loved it. A spectacular production, loved the score, the staging and design, the shadow effects, the comedy moments, the dancing, but particularly how Bourne has captured a moment of British dance history. Ashley Shaw in the first act could almost have been Moira Shearer, not just because of a wig or costumes, but in how she moved. Distraught to think that it's booked up for the rest of the London run, off to investigate tickets for the extra dates in Manchester. I do hope this becomes a regular part of the repertoire, how could this extraordinary production be consigned to the vaults?

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Dear Reader, I loved it. A spectacular production, loved the score, the staging and design, the shadow effects, the comedy moments, the dancing, but particularly how Bourne has captured a moment of British dance history. Ashley Shaw in the first act could almost have been Moira Shearer, not just because of a wig or costumes, but in how she moved. Distraught to think that it's booked up for the rest of the London run, off to investigate tickets for the extra dates in Manchester. I do hope this becomes a regular part of the repertoire, how could this extraordinary production be consigned to the vaults?

 

 

You won't have any joy if you look at Manchester Theatres - The Lowry is in the City of SALFORD!

 

http://www.thelowry.com/event/the-red-shoes1

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Blossom, returns do appear on the Sadler's Wells website so keep checking regularly.

 

The production is touring to theatres in Wimbledon, Woking and High Wycombe if you don't want to go too far afield (I've no idea if there are still tickets available at these venues).

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Blossom, returns do appear on the Sadler's Wells website so keep checking regularly.

 

The production is touring to theatres in Wimbledon, Woking and High Wycombe if you don't want to go too far afield (I've no idea if there are still tickets available at these venues).

 

My family are in Manchester so it's probably the most convenient location other than Sadlers Wells. Will definitely be looking out for returns!

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You won't have any joy if you look at Manchester Theatres - The Lowry is in the City of SALFORD!

 

http://www.thelowry.com/event/the-red-shoes1

 

I grew up in Salford - a 10 minute drive into Manchester City Centre. It takes 15-20 from where my parents live to the Lowry. It's only since the wider complex around the Lowry - MediaCity etc - that Salford has been considered a destination. 

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I only saw/enjoyed THE RED SHOES once - and that was with Ashley Shaw and Dominic North - a fine partner - in what I assume are the piece's primary principal roles.

 

I only write now as I wanted to add.that ... as I watched it ... I momentarily pondered how this might be just the kind of thing that - after AN AMERICAN IN PARIS - Leanne Cope might well excel at should it be deemed appropriate.  (I realise that Sir Matthew Bourne does not oft engage guests ... Marcelo Gomes being a happy exception.) 

 

As I said - it was just an idea that fleetingly crossed my mind.  

Edited by Bruce Wall
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Just back from The Red Shoes- what a thoroughly enjoyable show. I don't know who the lead was in the matinee today- no casting info that I could see anywhere.

She was very good but I had a feeling not quite the best? Not sure. Overall the dancing was of a very high standard and I really liked the choreography much more than his recent works (e.g. Sleeping Beauty)

 

I can think of a few ballet choreographers (nameless) who could learn a GREAT DEAL about narrative, pacing, smooth transition of scenes, keeping the audience interested, and variation of tone and pace- oh, and fun- from watching this show.

The music was fantastic-most thoughtfully chosen and put together, and it all worked like a dream.

 

My only criticism is that the amplification was just too much- I don't think the music needed to be amplified in that way, and some of the sound effects were really painful to my ears.

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I can think of a few ballet choreographers (nameless) who could learn a GREAT DEAL about narrative, pacing, smooth transition of scenes, keeping the audience interested, and variation of tone and pace- oh, and fun- from watching this show.

The music was fantastic-most thoughtfully chosen and put together, and it all worked like a dream.

 

My only criticism is that the amplification was just too much- I don't think the music needed to be amplified in that way, and some of the sound effects were really painful to my ears.

My thoughts entirely, Mary.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I went to see this on Thursday, and although I really enjoyed it, I didn't think it was as good as some of Bourne's other productions.   I loved the staging,  the story telling was wonderful, and there were some terrific scenes, many displaying the touches of humour that he does so well.  I particularly liked the East End music hall bit, with the bored stage hand occasionally banging the cymbal for the performers, while reading a newspaper.  I also thought there were some lovely lyrical dances.

 

So why didn't I like it as much?  I am not quite sure, but I did think that some of the classical ballet was just not danced well enough.

Also, I never really got the sense of the Vicky Page character being torn in two by the men in her life, to the point of being driven to suicide.

 

 I can't see myself rushing back to see this one again, although my companions really enjoyed it, and preferred it to both the Nutcracker and the Sleeping Beauty.  

Edited by Fonty
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A poster asked about Cordelia Braithwaite. I saw her yesterday and thought that she was very good. I don't think that the ballet sections are supposed to look as polished as we would expect to see them as performed by a top classical company today. Technique and dancers' physiques have changed so much over the years and the company featured is supposed to be a small provincial company, I think. Liam Mower's classical training at the RBS certainly shines through but I think that he was meant to be partnering his ballerina in that rather overblown affected way.

 

I actually didn't like Bourne's Sleeping Beauty. It was just too camp for my taste. As they say: each to his own.

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I didn't buy a programme, so I was just going on my memory of the film, which I admit I saw a long time ago.  However, I never thought the company in the film was supposed to be that provincial.  I thought the whole idea was that Moira Shearer takes over the lead in a company that might have been small, but was well known and respected, and shoots to stardom as a result.  If the company was that provincial, who would have noticed her in the first place?  And more to the point, why would they cast a RB principal in the role, when any actress who can move in time with the music could have waved her arms around?  (I am thinking Ann Bancroft in The Turning Point here.)

 

But even if I have got the wrong end of the stick, I think that however provincial the company was supposed to be, I would have thought that they could point their toes properly.  And even I could manage to do an attitude with more turnout when I was 12 than some of the ladies seemed capable of!

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I always thought the original company was supposed to be a Ballets Russes equivalent.

Well, I always thought that, Alison, but didn't like to say so in case I was completely wrong!  And I think the Ballets Russes had one or two dancers who were thought to be quite good.... :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I saw this at the Birmingham Hippodrome last Friday night. I thought the staging was brilliant, but I found some of the choreography uninspiring, and some bizarre. Why have the bit from Coppelia when the doll comes alive? Also, why Wilson, Keppel but no Betty? As others have said, I think some of the characters should have been developed further. There was certainly a different crowd to that which goes to the BRB - far more raucous. AFAIK, all performances were sold out, but it's coming back mid July if you missed out.

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I saw this in Milton Keynes tonight. So far I've always loved the production side of Bourne's works, and this was no exception. The revolving proscenium arch I thought wonderful- as well as being a very flexible and simple way of juxtaposing scenes, it worked with the lighting and the music to create the effect of a nightmare world that Vicky is trapped within. Loved the use of lighting and the final scene with the train was so starkly effective in combination with the music.  I also thought the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo would have made sense with the vivid scenes in Monte Carlo. I wouldn't have expected the athleticism and technical level to be equal to today and certainly looking at photographs the dancers look physically very different from today, so the lack of virtuoso ballet technique didn't bother me. There was a sense of Russian dolls with the layers of works within works and I loved the little snippets of Coppelia in rehearsal. I think some Swan Lake would have been very funny-you could have fun with an owlish Rothbart flapping ineffectually.

 

I tend to come away from Bourne with some reservations and again this wasn't an exception. Liked the dance content much better than some works (on a par with Sleeping Beauty which I mainly really liked). There was one section in the Monte Carlo bit with a lot of walking around and sitting-it felt as if Bourne was trying to echo the film but to me the point is that this is a different medium-and the music hall dancers were funny at first but just went on for two long. But a really interesting and thought provoking evening.Really enjoyed the music, and the bit where there was the sound effect of applause at the same time as the audience applauding-then the soundtrack did a crescendo and there was a wonderful nightmare feel. Have found some of the soundtracks too loud in the past but where we were sitting near the top it really worked tonight.

 

Trog, I've noticed the different audience too in the past. Edit- this comment is in no way meaning to sound snobby but I'm just intruigued to try to pinpoint the wider appeal of Bourne. Have just booked to see Northern Ballet's Casonova in Milton Keynes and will be interested to compare attendance.

Edited by pianolady
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  • 1 month later...

My first (and last) Bourne experience.  There may have been something in the second half that engendered some emotional connection, but, alas, I shall never know.  I believe there were some visual jokes, as I could hear a few people tittering, but they certainly couldn't be read sitting up high in the circle.  A rebiew I read mentions Vicky's small smile when the principal injures herself.  I hope those in the stalls enjoyed such details.  I don't think Bourne's choreography reads large enough, as one has come to expect with the major classical ballets.  I could also see remarkably little variation in the choreography throughout the first half.  The theatre was packed, in contrast to when the wonderful ENB and BRB perform in Bristol.  In my more generous moments, I can see that visually it was a lovely evocation of the film.  However, I shall now go and put on the DVD of the actual Red Shoes..... 

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  • 2 months later...

The Red Shoes arrived in Liverpool tonight and I was there with my niece.

 

Cordelia Braithwaite was Vicky Page and Dominic North danced Craster.

 

My niece has never seen the film but was able to follow the story and thoroughly enjoyed the performance.  I enjoyed it greatly too.  I do admire Matthew Bourne's ability to produce a striking, entertaining production and I think he has been faithful to the essence of the film too.

 

I'm not quite sure how many years ago I realised that Dominic North walked on stage, breathed and was wonderful!  Tonight he was, of course, wonderful and I enjoyed Cordelia Braithwaite's interpretation of Vicky.

 

It looked like a nearly unanimous standing ovation in the packed stalls and when Cordelia came on at the curtain calls there were cheers akin to vintage films I have seen of the Beatles!  

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 27/06/2017 at 23:23, Jan McNulty said:

The Red Shoes arrived in Liverpool tonight and I was there with my niece.

 

Cordelia Braithwaite was Vicky Page and Dominic North danced Craster.

 

My niece has never seen the film but was able to follow the story and thoroughly enjoyed the performance.  I enjoyed it greatly too.  I do admire Matthew Bourne's ability to produce a striking, entertaining production and I think he has been faithful to the essence of the film too.

 

I'm not quite sure how many years ago I realised that Dominic North walked on stage, breathed and was wonderful!  Tonight he was, of course, wonderful and I enjoyed Cordelia Braithwaite's interpretation of Vicky.

 

It looked like a nearly unanimous standing ovation in the packed stalls and when Cordelia came on at the curtain calls there were cheers akin to vintage films I have seen of the Beatles!  

Gotta quote you Janet! I second your comments!

Today I was at Red Shoes Lowry matinee,  as you reviewed above,  it was Cordelia Braithwaite as Vicky and Dominic North as Crastor. Again, both utterly superb! It was a total standing ovation and well deserved by all!!

 

 But I must talk about Chris Trenfield as Lermontov. It's been announced by New Adventures that Chris Trenfield is leaving the company after 8 years. His last performance with the company will be Red Shoes in Birmingham next Saturday matinee (22 July). Thank heavens I booked a ticket for this ages ago! I've long admired Chris Trenfield's superb dancing & acting,  gonna miss him massively. I so wish him well in the future. 

 

Anyway, today's performance at The Lowry was poignant for me. This is where I first saw The Red Shoes just 2 weeks after the premiere, way back last autumn. Seeing it again today (with about erm oops about 10 other performances in between, heaven help my bank account.....!) It's become such an intensely well developed show imo. For me, it's just amazing. All the dancers have developed their characters brilliantly! 

 

Cordelia Braithwaite just was so powerfully emotional as Vicky, I was in tears. So intenseĺy dramatic in the role of Vicky.

 

As for Dominic North, as Crastor. The pdd with Vicky was incredible and tear jearking.  As Janet said, Dominic walks on stage, he breathes and he is wonderful! He is truly a very special dancer and performer. 

 

I'm booked to see the last 2 uk performances of The Red Shoes in Brum next week. I know it will be emotional. For me, multiple viewings of The Red Shoes has paid off. I've loved it all....

 

 

 

 

 

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Just back from seeing my second view of The Red Shoes and with the same cast as my previous viewing, Ashley Shaw as Vicky Page, Sam Archer as Lermontov and Chris Trenfield as Julian Craster, I felt that the interpretations had deepened since earlier in the year. Sitting further back this time, rear stalls against front of the circle, the whole thing still worked really well and the whole cast were superb. I normally find I'm not too bothered about seeing Matthew Bourne's works more than once but I would happily see this many times over.

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