If the January blues are getting you down, you can always cheer yourself up by going to see the National Theatre’s latest stage adaptation of this classic children’s novel…
By Suman Bhuchar
THIS is a treat of a show for all the family from children to adults and at just under three hours this is a ‘Big Story’ that spans 15 years in the life of its protagonists – the three Fossil sisters.
Based on the bestselling children’s story book ‘Ballet Shoes’ written by Noel Streatfield (1895-1986) and now reimagined and slightly updated by Australian writer Kendall Feaver it’s a story of sisterhood, survival and happy endings. No spoilers here.
Set during the 1930s, the basic plot is that Great Uncle Matthew (finely played by Justin Salinger) or ‘GUM’ as he is called is a palaeontologist who is always away getting into the most awful scrapes. He finds and ends up adopting three babies over intervening years who are named Pauline, Petrova and Posy (Fossil) and they all live in a large house with GUM’s grandniece Sylvia (Pearl Mackie) and Nana (Jenny Galloway).
pic: ©Manuel Harlan
Pauline is played by Grace Saif, Polly by Daisy Sequerra and Petrova by Yanexi Enriquez. Incidentally, Salinger also doubles up as a stern Russian ex-ballerina turned teacher, Madame Fidolia and is a hoot in that role too.
The early scenes when the prequel is being set up are extremely funny and moving. There is a massive house interior on stage with paintings and fossils and it is on two levels.
Designed by Frankie Bradshaw, it is in a beautiful green palette joined by the ensemble company in their green leggings and tutus.
Directed by Katy Rudd, the set design and choreographed scenes are extremely cinematic and atmospheric.
There are white linen cloth sails, a shipwreck with ships sails, and a dramatic evocation of sound effects and video projections.
The three girls live in genteel poverty with their guardian and nana but they need to advertise for lodgers and soon enough three new people move in and they have a pivotal effect in shaping the future of the three siblings.
There is the dance teacher, Theo Dane (played by Nadine Higgin), the academic, Doctor Jakes (Helena Lymbery), who is a Doctor of Literature and finally the mechanic, Jai Saran who is of Indian origin and delicately played by Sid Sagar – (in the original book it’s a couple but later he becomes a single man so there is a love interest for Sylvia).
Other characters like Dr Jakes is now a lesbian and there is an interesting encounter between her and Petrova who asks her about her sexuality. However, the focus is more about choosing your own family.
The siblings begin their working life by joining a stage school and we see their lives develop in the show. They learn about their own dreams and desires, graft, rejection earning and contributing to the family income and discovering what you want to achieve.
There are big show stopper numbers and stories within stories, such as the flashback of the Russian Ballerina story; Posy in Alice in wonderland piece, as well as the avant-garde theatre show
All scored and played to live music conducted by Gavin Sutherland.
‘Ballet Shoes’ is an enjoyable, moving, funny, and uplifting show about the power of arts to heal.
ACV rating: ***** (five out of five)
Lead picture: Posy Fossil (Daisy Sequerra), Petrov Fossil (Yanexi Enriquez) and Pauline Fossil (Saif) pic:©ManuelHarlan
Listing
More info/tickets: ‘Ballet Shoes’ until February 22 – Olivier Theatre, The National Theatre, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ballet-shoes/