We were really rather taken with Ballet Shoes when we caught it at the National Theatre last Christmas – so much so that when we were offered an opportunity to review it again this year, we leapt at the chance. Kendall Feaver has adapted Noel Streatfeild’s beloved children’s novel for the stage, and it is playing once again at the Olivier Theatre – the largest of the three spaces within the National Theatre. So how does this year’s production fare?
Unsurprisingly it’s very similar – some of the cast has returned, notably the excellent Justin Salinger taking on multiple roles including GUM (Great Uncle Matthew), as well as dance teachers Madame Fidolia and Madame Manoff. A new addition to the cast for 2025 is Downton Abbey’s Lesley Nicol playing the role of Nana; this is a wonderful comedic turn, as she is brilliantly deadpan in the role.
Much of the staging is the same, too. As the title of the play would suggest, ballet forms a core component of the narrative, and this performance is at its best when the focus is on the dance; there are some mesmerising choreographed numbers here. There are a handful of other enjoyable set-pieces too, including a ridiculous avant-garde take on A Midsummer Night’s Dream which is joyously irreverent.
However, we did feel that something didn’t quite gel as well this year – there have been a lot of changes in the cast and maybe the dynamics don’t quite work like they did previously. At the heart of the story is the Fossil family and we didn’t buy into them in the same way as we did last year. As a result we weren’t as absorbed in the story as we’d have liked, which is a shame as we know it tells a heartwarming tale. There are still many enjoyable moments, but the highs didn’t feel quite as high this time around.
Ballet Shoes remains a perfectly pleasant evening of family-friendly entertainment, and if you didn’t catch it last year we’d still recommend checking it out. It’s a charming story with some important messages, and when those dance numbers really get going it is quite a joy to behold.
GAY TIMES gives Ballet Shoes – 4/5
More information can be found here.
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