My next show brings me back to the NT and once again forms part of a Young Patron club night. The show in question is “Ballet shoes” which is currently running in for previews and has its press night scheduled for tomorrow night (5th December 2024) and is scheduled to close on 22nd February 2025.
The show is based on the best bestselling book by Noel Steatfeild from 1939. It is has been adapted for the NT Olivier stage by Kendall Feaver and directed by Katy Rudd with brilliant choreography from Ellen Kane. As I was seeing the show as part of a NT club night I did get to choose my exact seat however as usual the NT development staff did not disappoint and allocated me row K seat 37 in the stalls in which I was ready for the 7pm start for this two hour and forty minute show.
We are introduced initially to Great Uncle Matthew [GUM] (Justin Salinger) who is an eccentric professor and adventurer who is fascinated by fossils. He is suddenly burdened with having to look after his unknown great niece Sylvia [Garnie] (Pearl Mackie) with the help of the maid Miss Guthridge [Nana] (Jenny Galloway). We quickly learn of how he manages to rescue three babies during three separate exploration trips each with their own dramatic story. The babies grow up into Petrova Fossil (Yanexi Enriquez), Pauline Fossil (Grace Saif) and Posy Fossil (Daisy Sequerra). Once GUM has not returned for many years the introduction of three lodgers occur who are the actor/performer Theo Dane (Nadine Higgin), garage owner Jai Saran (Sif Sagar) and English doctor, DR Jakes (Helena Lymbery). We discover that these three professions align with the interest and talent of each of the children. Act one concludes with the children realising GUM is not returning, as they must now vow to support the house and their family. Act two depicts the continuous stage roles the children are taking in order to raise some money. This gradually delvoples to a brilliant conclusion in which each children along with their respective mentor manages to live out their dream of appearing in films in America for Pauline Fossil, training at a prostegious ballet school in France for Possy Fossil and after the dramatic return of GUM Petrova gets to have the opportunity to live near Croydon aerodrome and live and work around planes. Mackie and mechanic idiain get married.
Before I continue with the review I have to point out that this show is this years NT festive (Christmas) family show. As a result there are lots of signs of this surrounding the whole show. To start the program is not a traditional NT program as it has an activity book at the back and the cast list includes interview questions with the principle cast giving the younger audience a insight into the actor and characters. Another great difference was that the ensemble cast were mingling throughout the auditorium before the metaphorical curtain up. It was great to see actors engaging in character with the audience members and especially the younger ones with some proving ballet lessons and getting pictures taken. A small change to normal play etiquette but great for the children. During the production there were many scenes when the actors appeared running through the stalls and lower part of the dress circle. Another great way of engaging the children in the audience. As part of the concept of making theatre and this show more accessible and to inspire to the younger / next generation. The NT each year organise a great initiative in which you can donate money which will pay for a around 1000 young people tickets so a child would would not have the ability to see this show or any West End production. A great initiative to inspire the next generation. As an adult you recognise these slight differences however they do not distract or take anything away from the show. The rest of the review will be keeping this in mind.
The set design as you can see from the view from my seat image above was as brilliant as ever from the NT. The usual attention to detail from the NT production team was outstanding. Each item and fossil on the huge set was its own individual prop that looked amazing. And the detail perfection was able to portray GUM fossil obsession. This set did not really change throughout the whole show. At a few points it was used to produce the second floor of the house. Generally it was normally just used as a backdrop for all the scenes. However the transition into each scene was so slick. His was orchestrated by the brilliant ensemble cast effortless sliding in of larger prop items such as doors, beds and baths. This being accompanied by the use of again brilliantly detailed smaller props. The lighting was used to focus the audience attention on the relevant sub section of the stage where these limited props create the whole scene without the need for large set pieces. I cannot commend enough the stage management on how slick the transitions were. The effortless scene transitions meant the story was able to flow from one stage another.
One of the largest props was the full size car which was used in multiple scenes throughout the whole show. However especially came into its own in the second act when with the use of brilliant lighting design and sound somehow appeared to speed through roads at break neck speeds when in fact it was only really being pushed round in large circle by some of the ensemble cast.
Another stand out moment for me and I’m sure any young audience member was when Yanexi Enriquez playing Petrova literally flew into and over the stalls on a stage high wire. The use of dramatic lighting and music really made this a stand out part of the show.
You can’t have a show called “Ballet shoes” and not mention dancing. I am no expert when it comes to dancing and especially ballet. The dance intrudes were often but not over done and did not last for elongated amount of time. It really was a perfect way to showcase the ballet art form to not only the younger generation but the total ballet novices like myself. The dancers especially Xolisweh Ana Richards who plays the young Madame Fidolia “Katherine Federovsky” gave a real top class ballet performance. Along with Daisy Sequerra who practice and finale routines were very impressive.
A quick mention of the the costumes which were perfect for this era. They also provided some amazing on stage quick changes especially at the opening of act two.
Now for the actors, there were many main characters as mentioned in the synopsis but also a number of the actors played multiple parts. And no one more brilliantly than Justin Salinger playing the eccentric GUM but them for a large portion of the show playing Madame Fidolia the dance teacher of Possy Fossil. Both characters were polar opposites but bot portrayed perfectly.
Both Pearl Mackie and Jenny Galloway were brilliant in providing an authenticate parental and guardian figures to the children. With Mackie really showing the struggle of trying to look after the well-being but also the childhood of these three children while not being old enough to be their mother and too old to be their sister.
The stand out actors have to be Grace Saif, Daisy Sequerra and Yanexi Enriquez playing the three children. There ability to portray the ambition and caring orphans while epscailly Daisy Sequerra having to dance ballet was brilllaintly. For me out of the three Grace Saif slightly edged it for me as a stand out of the three, the characterisation Pauline Fossil was brilliant and was able to provide some humour and drama throughout the whole show.
The ensemble cast for this show really made it something special. Without them the scene transitions would have not been the same and would have resulted in a more clumsy portrayal. With them it was given a dream like flow.
Overall for me personally 3.5 out of 5 stars but for a young audience member it would be 5 out of 5 stars. It is a great family and young audience friendly show. With the expected perfection of NT production. A great introduction to the theatre, ballet and the NT for any younger audience member.
Further information on this show can be found on the NT website.
A SPURDLE reviews 