The Red Shoes at RSC review a dark fairytale that doesn't quite hit

It was perhaps an unusual choice to pick this intriguing retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s not so ‘happily ever after’ fairytale for the Swan Theatre’s Christmas show.

Unlike her uplifting Christmas marvel The Magician’s Elephant at the RSC three years ago, Nancy Harris's adaption of The Red Shoes is a much darker affair.

The grim tale centres around orphan Karen (Nikki Cheung) destined for a life of servitude. She feels a tiny moment of joy dancing in a pair of red shoes but then finds herself trapped by them. The only way to stop them is to have her feet chopped off.

While the original is a stark warning about decadence, vanity and disobedience this adaption is much more sympathetic and Karen ultimately gets to choose her own ending, “to dance your own dance”.

The play is mostly set in the ostentatious home of the Nugents, a giant portrait of the couple looms above a grand room bathed in red. The pair adopted Karen merely so social climber Mariella Nugent (Dianne Pilkington) can look charitable and get on the board of Save the Orphans Foundation. Now they must flaunt her at a dinner party.

Her and her hapless businessman husband Bob (James Doherty), who has been doing his best to clinch some major deal to build a tacky casino, want to impress their guests and Karen gets new shoes so the couple look kind-hearted.

In the background is their bonkers son (Joseph Edwards) who becomes this version’s ‘executioner’, a fan of taxidermy, wielding an axe above his head at almost every moment waiting for his next body.

As Karen shows off her dancing to the dinner party guests, her shoes take hold leading to chaos. The slow motion action of candle sticks and cutlery flying through the air as Karen leaps around the dining table is a genius bit of choreography and a major highlight of the play.

Littered throughout are references to other fairytales. We have a talking mirror, a magical shoemaker, a shallow prince and a dark forest serving us a reminder of a place where children can get lost and find themselves “in an oven”.

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Sebastian Torkia as the mischievous shoemaker Sylvestor (he also plays the priest) is the ideal fairytale character, bringing much humour as he lures Karen to her ultimate downfall.

Cheung as Karen communicates both her sorrow and joy impeccably through her dancing and is a joy to watch.

Yet while the two hour tale is peppered with comedy, slick choreography and live music the story feels a little strung out out times.

And when Karen’s feet are chopped off with the axe from behind a white sheet it lacks the impact it needs and is neither horrifying nor amusing.

The Red Shoes is a good watch but ultimately it lacks the wow moments you really hope for in a Christmas show.

Runs at The Swan Theatre until January 19, 2025.