Stage Door News

Stratford-upon-Avon, UK: “The Red Shoes” directed by Shaw Festival Associate Artistic Director Kimberley Rampersad begins performances November 7

Thursday, November 7, 2024

This Christmas, get up close to Andersen's dark fairy tale where a young woman's beautiful pair of red shoes takes her places she doesn't wish to go.

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN'S

THE RED SHOES

IN A NEW VERSION BY NANCY HARRIS

November 7, 2024-January 19, 2025

'What’s wrong with wanting to dance?'


Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world, or so they say.

When an orphaned young woman is taken in by some local do-gooders, she is expected to be seen and not heard. Dazzled by a pair of beautiful shoes, she sees the chance to do and be so much more, but soon her feet betray her, taking her to places she does not wish to go.

Karen’s mother has died, leaving her orphaned, when distant relatives, Mariella and Bob Nugent offer her a home. There, Karen meets their creepy son Clive - who likes to cut things up and near-blind housekeeper, Mags. The Nugents learn Karen loves to dance and force her to perform for the family, but when they see the way Karen dances, they mock her.

Mariella shows off her expensive wardrobe and a pair of sublime shoes, made by Sylvestor, the greatest shoemaker in the world. Mags takes Karen, who has only ill-fitting shoes, to meet Sylvestor. Karen is captivated by a pair of red shoes – she puts them on and immediately begins to dance wonderfully, finding a confidence she never had before.

Karen wears the red shoes to a dinner party at the Nugents’ house. She dances for the guests, but soon the shoes take on a chaotic life of their own, wreaking havoc and resulting in Mags having a heart attack.

In a desperate attempt to make up for the trouble she’s caused the Nugents, Karen offers to be Mags’ fulltime carer. When the Nugents leave Karen alone with a fevered Mags to go to a party, the shoes appear to Karen, along with Sylvestor’s invitation to a ball in the forest. Karen knows she shouldn’t go but…

This Christmas, get up close to the magic as playwright Nancy Harris brings Hans Christian Andersen’s dark fairy tale into the 21st century in the intimate surroundings of the Swan Theatre.

Age guidance: 7+ years. Parental discretion recommended for under 12s.

Directed by Kimberley Rampersad (Associate Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival, Canada) in her RSC debut, The Red Shoes is both a magical story and cautionary tale of pride, vanity and how we all deserve to dance how we wish to dance.

KIMBERLEY RAMPERSAD

DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER

This is Kimberley's RSC debut.

Kimberley Rampersad is a Canadian-based theatre maker. She is also the Associate Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

Directing includes: Man and Superman (Director and Choreographer), Chitra (Shaw Festivall), King Lear (Stratford Festival, Canada), The Amen Corner (Shaw Festival, Canada), The Color Purple (Neptune/Royal MTC/Citadel), Intimate Apparel (WJT), How Black Mothers Say I Love You (GCTC); hang with Philip Akin (Obsidian)

For tickets visit www.rsc.org.uk.