As The Girl paints her bare feet red, the musicians roll out a tantalising tune and the small ensemble watch wide-eyed from afar, you know that this Kneehigh story has a dark undercurrent that is waiting to escape. First presented in 1990, Emma Rice’s The Red Shoes oozes dark desires in its new revival and final UK showing at Battersea Arts Centre. In her stripped back presentation, Rice brings the joy of pure storytelling to dizzying heights, offering the sinister story of a girl who, on putting on her red shoes, dances until she dies.
In true Kneehigh fashion there is much to be enthralled by in The Red Shoes and in the simplest of manners. With barely any set, aside from a series of movable connecting doors and a raised balcony platform, the nature of storytelling lies at the heart of the production. The show is compered by Lady Lydia (Giles King) whose narrative voice acts as the poetic and oddly sexy rhythm maker as ‘she’ looks over the story from the balcony. King is adorned by a glorious wig and dress giving a gutsy performance not too disimilar to those you’d find at your local gay cabaret night: disgustingly entertaining.
The Kneehigh ensemble, with their shaved heads, white vests and pants are full of foolery. They transform into the various characters by the varying suitcases that label them as The Girl, The Old Lady, The Preacher, The Soldier etc.. As the narrative unwinds, The Girl (Patrycja Kujawska) is lured into her red shoes to dance forever more. “Dance you shall, dance you must!” we are told. Her shoes bring about the obsessional love The Solider (Robert Luckay) develops for her, and as the alluring shoes bring about this fateful relationship, we too fall under the dancing shoes’ sinister spell.
Rice continually reinvents the directional methods throughout The Red Shoes, offering basic storytelling, clowning, slapstick comedy, songs, lots and lots of clog dancing, and a deep understanding how theatre can be presented. The relationship between the story, the playing and the sense of child-like giddiness sneaks into every decision made on stage. Even as the tale decends into darker territory Rice continues to offer illusions and tantalising treats for her audience.
There is an exceptional performances by Mike Shepherd (Co-Artistic Director of Kneehigh) as The Preacher and The Butcher. Equally, I’ve never seen such a believable (and completely absurd) time blind Old Lady as given by Dave Mynne. Their continual play within their characters and as a driving force of The Red Shoes leaves you beaming with smiles, even during the gruesome moments.
Some Kneehigh fans will note that whilst The Red Shoes is clearly a trademark production, it doesn’t have as completely wholesome a quality as previous shows. Its stripped-back nature only went to further my appreciation of Kneehigh as a company built upon storytelling. Yes you can have the fancy lights, the special effects, and moving stage designs in a theatre seating a thousand in the West End, but sitting on cushions in the Chamber Rooms of BAC, I was like a child spoilt with entertainment.
Kneehigh has a vision of fun, story-based theatre and The Red Shoes offers this, and so much more. Dark and sinister, with lashings of sexy, energetic clog dancing, you’d be a fool to miss this, and even more a fool to not find yourself wanting to dance along. Just remember to stop dancing or you might find a fate much like The Girl… doomed to dance till bloody death.
The Red Shoes is playing at the Battersea Arts Centre until 9th April. Tickets and information can be found online here.
