As part of the RSC’s Christmas season for 2024, this new production of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Red Shoes”, reimagined by playwright Nancy Harris, is a gruesome fairy tale with hidden depths. The play is set in an unspecified time period, with elements of steampunk thrown in alongside the modern dress, as narrator Sebastien Torkia introduces the play with the standard “Once upon a time”.
Torkia takes on numerous roles throughout and his stage presence is electrifying, proving to be one of the highlights of this well-crafted, confident play. He deftly switches between the standard storyteller role, sharing excellent chemistry with the audience, and an altogether more sinister character, as he takes on the persona of Sylvestor the Shoemaker – but more on him later. The opening segment of the play warns us that this is no light-hearted Disney-type story – this is going to be a much darker affair.
The story begins with a newly-orphaned young girl named Karen (Royal Danish Ballet School graduate Nikki Cheung), who is taken in by the Nugents, the buffoonish property developer Bob (James Doherty) and the formidable Mariella (Dianne Pilkington). It very quickly becomes clear that they have only agreed to look after Karen to improve their social standing. Cheung’s Karen is mute when we first meet her, traumatised by the death of her mother, and Cheung is able to convincingly portray the girl as frightened and timid, whilst also showing a fair amount of grit which comes to the fore later on. We are also introduced to the Nugents’ son Clive (Joseph Edwards, who masterfully balances the comedy with the creepy, his character constantly wielding an axe which becomes important in the second act) and their maid Mags (Sakuntala Ramanee, who brings an element of fairy godmother to the character).
Karen is able to find her voice thanks to embracing her love of dance, with Cheung displaying her superb ballet skills, giving us little glimpses of what is to come. Deciding that she can no longer remain in her “rags”, Karen is dragged along to the “best shoemaker in the world”, where she comes into possession of the eponymous “red shoes”, shoes which have a strange power over her whenever she puts them on. From this point onwards, the play kicks up a gear, with music and dancing lighting up the stage as Karen finds herself able to dance perfectly in her new shoes, and then unable to stop dancing. Cheung’s excellent facial expressions as she finds herself seemingly whirled out of control across the stage by her new pair of shoes is a joy to watch, and she is able to find lots of comedic moments as a girl forced into dancing against her will.
The first act culminates with an expertly choreographed number that sees Karen’s feet run wild at a dinner party, kicking glasses and plates and knives and forks at guests as the event very quickly goes awry. Kimberley Rampersad, as both director and choreographer, makes the stage feel busy whilst keeping the action focused on Karen and her story, without introducing too many other distractions. The dancing, which is present throughout, is expertly woven into the narrative, elevating the production rather than stalling it.
The second act is the stronger of the two, a few misplaced jokes making the first act seem a little forced at times. Post-interval, the story takes a darker turn, and the play does not shy away from these more gruesome moments. That is not to say that this play is not aimed at children – it very much is, and the more violent moments (which I won’t spoil here, but do indeed involve Clive’s axe) are played for laughs, the darkness coming through in the aftermath as characters try to come to terms with events. These characters, which feel like pantomime caricatures in the opening act (perfect for this time of year and definitely not a criticism) take on a more realistic edge as the play rattles towards its conclusion.
However, rest assured that the second act is not all doom and gloom. We are treated to a tongue-in-cheek boyband-style song from Prince (Kody Mortimer), some questionable dancing from Mariella’s magic mirror (Momar Diagne) and some excellent Christmas-inspired costumes (designed by Colin Richmond). The ending of the story is changed from the original Hans Christian Anderson tale, giving us a more uplifting final note – a positive change, in my opinion, as the original ending could be interpreted as problematic in this day and age.
Overall, this is a fun-filled whimsical tale that definitely does not shy away from some difficult topics, but treats them sensitively and in a way that is sure to delight children as well as educate. The dancing and music throughout add to the festive spirit that runs through this grisly production, making this an enjoyable yet non-standard Christmas play.
Tom Morley, November 2024
“The Red Shoes” plays in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon until 19th Jan 2025. More info here.
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