Review: Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes, 2026 UK tour, Glasgow. Magical Dance Theatre
- Lisa in the theatre
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
Matthew Bourne's 10th anniversary revival of his New Adventures dance classic, The Red Shoes, is now on tour across the UK. The dark, sensuous production plays Glasgow's King's Theatre until Saturday 31st January 2026. Read my review below.
Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes revival ★★★★★
Review: 28 January 2026 | King's Theatre, Glasgow
No one does dance theatre like Matthew Bourne.
With exquisite dancers, clear dramatic storytelling and an abundance of well-placed humour, Bourne's creative dance productions are exciting, often surreal, always iconic.
In the twenty-plus years since Bourne established his New Adventures Dance Company, their narrative-driven dance works have soared in popularity across the UK, thanks to their commitment to touring with an accessible blend of powerful dance, theatrical storytelling, and stunning production values. The 10th anniversary revival of The Red Shoes is no exception.
Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale and the Academy Award-winning 1948 film directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, The Red Shoes is Matthew Bourne’s love letter to the world of theatre.
The Red Shoes
Set in the 1940s, The Red Shoes follows young dancer Victoria Page (Hannah Kremer) who dreams of becoming the greatest dancer in the world. Vicky has the opportunity to join the renowned Ballet Lermontov and is cast in their new ballet titled "The Red Shoes", about a girl whose magical ballet shoes promise her fame but force her to dance until death.
Thanks to her successful performance, Vicky becomes a star, but powerful ballet director Boris Lermontov (Reece Causton) makes her choose between her career and her love affair with conductor Julian Craster (Leonardo McCorkindale). Struggling with the choice, boundaries between performance and reality begin to blur, as the dangerous power of the red shoes grows.
Set to a score orchestrated by Terry Davies, featuring the hypnotic music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, the dance, choreography and musicality are exceptional. Every member of the company shines as we follow the Ballet Lermontov from London to Monte Carlo and back to a music hall in London's East End. Bourne's direction is masterful as he takes us through scene after stunning scene, full of dramatic visuals and playful humour, to a devastating conclusion in just under two hours.
The experience could only be improved by the addition of a live orchestra as opposed to the pre-recorded score, but the logistics and costs involved with touring on such a scale would be prohibitive. As it stands, the sound design is so good that you would be forgiven for assuming there was a live band hidden under the stage.
Stunning visuals
Every scene and every moment of Bourne's production has intention; the heartbreaking story of obsession and passion is clear. The fluid scene transitions and clever staging are mind-blowing. Designer Lez Brotherston brings Bourne's vision to life with the most extraordinary set and rich costumes, all beautifully lit by Paule Constable.
Central to the theatrical storytelling is a stage within a stage: A sumptuous, grand red curtain that glides forward in a sinister manner like something from a Hitchcock film. It sways and rotates, its drapes opening and closing to expose all the backstage drama with a lavish, magical reveal.
A highlight of the show is a spectacular black and white scene danced against the backdrop of a storm, the performers' tattered dresses whipping in the wind. Aided by carefully placed video projections, the brilliant dancers, eerie visuals, rousing score and the striking contrast of the red shoes is one of those unforgettable, impactful moments in theatre where I sat back and whispered "wow".
The Red Shoes is a story about dancers, dance and love. And in Matthew Bourne's adaptation of the dark fairytale and film, you can feel his passion for all three. This is how you do dance theatre. ★★★★★
Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes plays at Glasgow's King's Theatre until Saturday 31st January 2026. Tickets via ATG Tickets here: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/matthew-bournes-production-of-the-red-shoes/
The full casting for The Red Shoes 2026 tour can be found here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/matthew-bourne-the-red-shoes-tour-cast
Catch Matthew Bourne's The Car Man when it returns to Glasgow (and venues across the UK) in October 2026.
Find out more here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/matthew-bournes-the-car-man-news
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