Nadine Higgin (Theo Dane), Grace Saif (Pauline Fossil), Daisy Sequerra (Posy Fossil) and Yanexi Enriquez (Petrova Fossil) in Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre [Manuel Harlan]

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Ballet Shoes
National Theatre
☆☆☆☆

Kendall Feaver’s adaptation of Noel Streatfeild’s best-selling 1936 book Ballet Shoes is beautifully staged by Katy Rudd.

Three babies, Posy, Pauline and Petrova, are rescued by eccentric palaeontologist and explorer, Great-Uncle Matthew (Justin Salinger), also known as GUM, who promptly disappears on his travels leaving them in the care of his great-niece Sylvia (Pearl Mackie) and long-suffering Nana (Jenny Galloway).

The adopted sisters all grow into young girls with distinct personalities and desires: The eldest, Pauline (Grace Saif), develops a passion for acting while Petrova (Yanexi Enriquez) wants to become a pilot; Posy (Daisy Sequerra), whose birth mother left her a pair of ballet shoes, dreams of becoming a famous ballerina.

They live in GUM’s ramshackle house surrounded by dinosaur bones and fossils, brilliantly realised by designer Frankie Bradshaw.

Times are hard and Sylvia has to take in boarders to help pay the bills. The lodgers all help to support and shape the girls. Theo (Nadine Higgin) develops Posy’s love of contemporary dance. Doctor Jakes (Helena Lymbery) refines Pauline’s understanding of Shakespeare while Jai (Sid Sagar) teaches Petrova to drive.

The sisters are sent to stage school and eventually find ways to earn money for the household and pursue their chosen careers. Female creativity, determination and grit drive the plot and are resonant themes.

Feaver’s adaptation is a tad overlong and various strands are tied up a little too neatly at the end, but it’s hard not to be swept up by the show’s exuberance.

Ballet Shoes is imaginatively choreographed by Ellen Kane, set to Asaf Zohar’s musical compositions, while Ash J Woodward’s video, Paule Constable’s lighting and evocative costumes by Samuel Wyer add to the magic.

Uplifting, festive fare for all the family, and just what’s needed as the nights draw in.

Until February 22
nationaltheatre.org.uk/