Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre

"This festive season, the story returns for a second run at the National Theatre's Olivier stage in a bright, energetic production directed by Katy Rudd (The Ocean at the End of the Lane) and adapted by Kendall Feaver. It's a staging that honours the classic's charm while embracing fresh theatrical possibilities, delivered with the assurance of a creative team deeply attuned to what makes this tale endure."

"Even before the lights dim, the tone is set: ensemble members appear throughout the auditorium in tutus, offering playful ballet lessons to eager children (and more than a few adults), drawing the audience seamlessly into the magic to come. The Olivier's expansive stage is awash in deep ocean blue, with Frankie Bradshaw's magnificent set conjuring a world brimming with imagination a treasure trove of fossils, curiosities and antiquities gathered from far-flung corners of the globe."

"Particularly delightful is the vintage Citroen car, which becomes a striking focal point in several scenes, as well as the brief moment of flying that drew a genuine gasp from the audience, my young companion gazing upward in pure envy. Paule Constable's lighting deepens the sense of wonder, shifting effortlessly from the cosy intimacy of the Fossil household to the shimmering theatricality of the Children's Academy."

Katy Rudd's Olivier-stage staging of Ballet Shoes blends nostalgia with fresh theatrical invention, adapting Noel Streatfeild's story via Kendall Feaver's script. Ensemble members mingle with the audience before the show, offering playful ballet lessons that invite participation. Frankie Bradshaw's deep ocean-blue set brims with fossils, curiosities and a vintage Citroen, punctuated by a moment of flying. Paule Constable's lighting shifts from cosy household intimacy to the Children's Academy's shimmer. Asaf Zohar's compositions, with Gavin Sutherland's orchestrations, supply warmth and buoyancy, while Samuel Wyer's colourful costumes capture the Fossil household's quirks and theatrical glamour.

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