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Fabulously creepy…delightfully sinister…The Red Shoes barely puts a foot wrong.
—WhatsOnStage
When an orphaned young woman is taken in by some local do-gooders, she is expected to be seen and not heard. Dazzled by a pair of beautiful shoes, she sees in them an opportunity to shine—but soon her feet betray her, taking her to places she does not wish to go.
Nancy Harris's version of The Red Shoes is a contemporary retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's extraordinary fairytale of dance, desire, and destruction.
Darkly spectacular…a bold retelling.
—Irish Times
Casts a spell on grown-ups and children alike.
—The Times
A judiciously light touch and appealingly twisted humour…brilliantly ghoulish…Harris' update succeeds in suggesting some intriguing angles.
—The Stage
Dark and delicious.
—Irish Independent
Charming yet spooky…mixes song and dance with a witty dash of macabre.
—Irish Mail on Sunday
A dark, delicious treat…this production absolutely holds its own against other adaptations of Andersen's fairytale, embracing the darker elements of the story whilst also creating something strikingly original…hugely funny and an absolute pleasure to watch.
—Reviews Hub
A script that is both witty and deeply poignant…an absolute delight…daring, thought-provoking, and thoroughly entertaining—a treat that lingers long after the final bow.
—West End Best Friend
Nancy Harris is a playwright and screenwriter. Her plays include: Somewhere Out There You (Abbey Theatre Dublin, 2023); Two Ladies (Bridge Theatre, London, 2019); The Beacon (Druid, 2019); The Red Shoes, after Hans Christian Andersen (Gate Theatre, Dublin, 2017); Our New Girl (Bush Theatre, London, 2012); and No Romance (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 2011).
Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875) was a Danish author, a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems. He is perhaps best remembered for his fairy tales, including The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen, The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina, and many others.