Ambition, passion, jealously, love and despair, Matthew Bourne’s production of The Red Shoes has it all.
But what really makes it stand out is the way the whole production revolves entirely around the dancers.
From the moving set, to the use of lighting and the extravagant costumes (including the all important red shoes), every aspect of the production highlights the extremely talented cast of dancers.
The Red Shoes tells of the gifted young dancer Victoria Page (Cordelia Braithwaite) who catches the eye of Boris Lermontov (Reece Causton), an important man in the ballet world.
When Victoria falls in love with the struggling composer Julian Craster (Harrison Dowzell) Lermontov gives her an ultimatum: she must choose between her love of this man and her love of dance.
It is your classic love triangle, with Victoria having to make a choice that will tear at her soul.
The show is a riot of colour and passion, with the audience focusing on those enchanted red shoes, that force the wearer to dance.
The superb dancing, in particular from the three dancers in the central love triangle, keeps you captivated from start to finish.
The climax is beautifully handled, with the red shoes pushing the wearer towards a tragic end.
Yes, the show may have a dark and tragic message, but the dancing and passion leaves you captivated and unable to look away. Watching it is an unforgettable experience, and one I would be keen to repeat again.
A sell-out before its world premiere season opened in 2016, Matthew Bourne’s triumphant adaptation of the legendary film returned having won two Olivier Awards and dazzled audiences across the UK and the US.
Set to the achingly romantic music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, The Red Shoes is orchestrated by Terry Davies, with cinematic designs by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Paule Constable and sound by Paul Groothuis.
It is among many top shows playing the Bristol Hippodrome this season.

Laura Durrant