A Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, The Red Shoes revolves around a pair of alluring shoes which, once worn, force their wearer to keep dancing forever… Sir Matthew Bourne’s hit ballet version of the story - which is also based on the same-named 1948 film - is a love letter to golden-age entertainment and comes complete with a visually stunning theatrical setting. In preparation for The Red Shoes’ mid-month visit to Birmingham - its only Midlands stop-off - What’s On sat down with two of the show’s performers, Isabella Chandler and Andy Monaghan, to find out more…

The Red Shoes - a story of love and ambition - has been recreated on stage and screen many times since the original fairytale was penned by Hans Christian Andersen in 1845.

Sir Matthew Bourne’s acclaimed ballet adaptation - also based on the 1948 film, and produced by his company, New Adventures - explores stories hidden within stories and features a stage within a stage… 
Set around 1950, it concerns a production created by ballet impresario Boris Lermontov and his young stars - ballerina Vicky Page and composer Julian Craster. Lermontov commissions a new ballet version of The Red Shoes tale, in which a magical pair of shoes force the wearer to dance until they die.

But then life starts to imitate art, as love and obsession cause a rift between the trio...

Andy Monaghan has danced with the production since its premiere a decade ago. On this occasion he’s taking the role of Lermontov. The production also features New Adventures’ emerging artist Isabella (Bella) Chandler, making her professional debut.

“We first did the show in 2016, and I was lucky to be part of the original cast,” says Andy. “It’s really nice coming back to it for a third time. I think there’s something about this one that is so cinematic, that really hooks people in. Even if it’s not between dance and love, everyone can relate to being torn between two different things.”

The production alludes to the golden age of Hollywood and classical ballet, with an opulent visual style to match. One of the most striking elements of the set is a huge theatrical curtain, which physically moves around the stage - changing the perspective of the audience, making hidden moments visible, and hinting at the tension between the characters, both on- and off-stage.

“The curtain is kind of like another character,” Andy explains. “That really helps to make you feel swept up in it. All of the scene changes are so quick. It’s so pacey, but it’s also so well focused.”

“We actually had the curtain in rehearsal with us, for our last week of rehearsals,” adds Bella. “We would all sit in the auditorium and just watch the curtain move around. Like Andy said, it’s kind of like another character in the show. It’s quite exciting! This is my first job, and I’ve never been in anything that involves something that’s so big - it adds something else for us, as well as for the audience.”

“Logistically, we rehearse a lot,” Andy continues. “When we had the curtain for that final week, we did those big scenes - where it moves a lot - over and over again, just to make sure everyone felt confident. Especially when you add in the light - sometimes you can’t see, but you know it’s moving. You’ve just got to get into that muscle memory, but also keep your wits about you.”

As many of the New Adventures ensemble also play ballet dancers on stage - and as the production revolves around a pair of irresistible red ballet shoes - this is a show which has a particular resonance for its cast, considering what dancers might need to sacrifice for their art.

“As a dancer, you definitely have to give up a lot of things,” says Bella. “It’s an art form that you have to fully commit to. You can’t really half-commit if you want to go down that path. So I think it’s quite relatable in that sense. [For instance] I was away from home from a young age, so I didn’t really see my family that much. You definitely have to make some sacrifices.”

“It’s not as intense for us as it is for Vicky in the show,” adds Andy, “but if you’re trying to navigate finding a partner, all of that - trying to get someone who understands this schedule, or is willing to understand this schedule - it’s really hard. You see it over the years, when it works and when it doesn’t. It’s a real thing. In this show, that’s something which is brought into focus, I suppose. But Matt [Matthew Bourne] isn’t as intense as Lermontov is, so that helps!”

Boris Lermontov, played by Andy, is the ballet-company owner of the story, who becomes jealous and obsessive as Vicky and Julian become closer. But Vicky herself is drawn back to the success and glamour of Lermontov and his company.

“This is quite a different part for me,” says Andy. “I’ve been lucky to do a lot of romantic roles in Matt’s shows before - a lot of the duets - but this is very different. I have to find those connections with people, but I couldn’t lean on stuff that I knew. So trying to navigate that was interesting - and being cross for a really long time feels really intense!”

The show’s visit to Birmingham will see both dancers making a fond return to the region - and to the Hippodrome...

“I grew up in Coventry,” says Andy, “and then we moved to South Yardley when I was 16. I’ve had many, many trips to the Hippodrome. It’s so nice to go back there, and I love that the venue is always on our tour schedule. The audiences are always fantastic, because they’re so used to dance - Birmingham Royal Ballet [BRB] obviously cultivates that. When we go to the Hippodrome, it’s so nice, and the crew there are fantastic. I’ve been with New Adventures for 13 years now, and it’s so nice to be able to keep touring around and doing these incredible shows. It feels really nice to come back to something that’s so established. The team is so good, and everyone’s at the top of their game.”

“I trained at Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham for six years, from when I was 11 until I was 17,” explains Bella. “We always used to go, as a school, to watch the productions at the Hippodrome. So I actually watched New Adventures’ Swan Lake at the Hippodrome. We went as a school, because [Elmhurst graduate] James Lovell was in it, so we all went to watch him when he first joined. I’ve kind of grown up in Birmingham and seen a lot of BRB. And I worked with BRB, too, and briefly performed at the Hippodrome: I was in the company’s Cinderella when I was 11. I don’t really know the theatre, but I’m excited to go back and see it as an adult now.”

Bella has been spotlighted as New Adventures’ Emerging Artist of the 2025/26 season.

“The Emerging Artists programme has really helped my journey from being a student to the professional world,” she says. “I had so much support from the New Adventures team and learned a bit of the material before we started. It definitely felt a lot smoother than it would have if I hadn’t had that - it was really nice. It feels like a big family, this company - it’s definitely been very exciting.”

New Adventures’ The Red Shoes shows at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 March.

By Jessica Clixby