Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes is a hypnotic tale of ambition, love, and the sacrifices demanded by artistic obsession.

Victoria

It plays the Milton Keynes Theatre until Sat 14 Feb as part of a new UK Tour.

Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes is a thrilling retelling of a cinematic classic, mixing nostalgia with his signature physical storytelling. It follows Victoria Page, a young dancer driven by a burning desire to be extraordinary. Caught between love and ambition, her pursuit of greatness becomes a storm of passion, obsession, and sacrifice, shaped by the men who ignite her desires and the demands of her art. The story blurs imagination and reality, creating a hypnotic, sometimes surreal world that reflects Victoria’s emotional journey.

From the opening moment, the production captivates: deep red drapes glow under 1920s-style lighting, and the illuminated title shines like a marquee, promising spectacle. The clever theatre-within-a-theatre staging lets the audience see both the performance and the backstage machinery, blurring the line between illusion and reality. Stunning set pieces, from an ornate chandelier to Lermontov’s boudoir, a busy café, and theatre wings, combine with projections of spiralling clocks, floating calendars, stars, and wind, immersing the audience in a glamorous, slightly surreal world.

Lez Brotherston’s costumes echo the late 1920s with clean lines and quiet elegance, keeping the dancers the focus, while the vivid red shoes stand out as the production’s defining image. Paul Constable’s lighting shapes the mood, moving from bright, lively tones to deep shadows that mirror Victoria’s emotions.

Terry Davies’ orchestration brings Bernard Herrmann’s golden-age Hollywood music to life, alongside Chopin and other pieces, though the lack of a live orchestra was a minor disappointment.

The choreography is often breathtaking, blending ballet, modern dance, and other styles to tell the story entirely through movement. Many moments, like the mesmerising dance of the music conductor, captivate with emotional intensity, showing passion, obsession, and heartbreak. The lead performers shine, their chemistry bringing the story to life, even if not every move is perfect. At times, the narrative was a little hard to follow, and the similarity between the lead male characters caused some confusion.

Some dance sections felt slower or less precise, though these moments didn’t lessen the overall impact.

Despite these minor flaws, Bourne’s The Red Shoes explores rich themes: the transformative power of art, the tension between personal desire and professional ambition, and the sacrifices demanded by greatness. While it doesn’t quite reach the transcendent brilliance of Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet, Edward Scissorhands, or Swan Lake, it remains visually stunning, emotionally engaging, and thoughtfully crafted. The Red Shoes draws audiences into Victoria’s world, leaving a lasting impression long after the curtain falls

Tickets are on sale now and are available at ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes.