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Ballet Shoes

By Noel Streatfeild
In a new version by Kendall Feaver

Three performers in whimsical costumes pose against a colorful, painted backdrop. One is upside down on a trapeze, another stands holding a prop, and the third hangs from aerial hoops. They wear fluffy dresses and expressive accessories.

Booking and details

26 November 2024 — 22 February 2025
Dates & tickets
The event location is

Olivier Theatre

National Theatre
South Bank
London SE1 9PX

Get directions

The bestselling book revitalised for the stage

In a crumbling house full of dinosaur bones and fossils, three adopted sisters – Pauline, Petrova and Posy – are learning who they are and what they want to be.

Under the watchful eyes and guidance of their guardian Sylvia, Nana, and some unlikely lodgers, they fight to pursue their individual passions. But in a world that wasn’t built for women with big ambitions, can they forge a future, keep their family together, and even learn a dance or two along the way?

Katy Rudd (The Ocean at the End of the Lane) returns to the National Theatre to direct this spectacular re-imagining of Noel Streatfeild’s beloved novel, in a new version by Kendall Feaver (The Almighty Sometimes).

Suitability

Please note: This production contains themes of adoption and death. Suitable for ages 7+

Supporters

This production is supported by Rosetrees Trust. This is an Edgerton New Plays Commission. New Play Commissions are also supported by the Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation

Video

Three people wearing colorful, whimsical clothing and capes are playfully engaged with colorful powder. They stand around a table filled with vibrant fabrics and accessories. The background is a multicolored abstract painting.
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Watch the trailer

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Two people in the middle of a dance, one spins wildly whilst laughing. The other looks at them whilst moving
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Inside rehearsals

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Gallery

Three young women stand joyfully in a rehearsal space. One is mid-step with arms outstretched, and the others are smiling and leaning toward each other. They wear comfortable dance clothes, and there's equipment and chairs in the background.
Three young women stand joyfully in a rehearsal space. One is mid-step with arms outstretched, and the others are smiling and leaning toward each other. They wear comfortable dance clothes, and there's equipment and chairs in the background.
Three young women stand joyfully in a rehearsal space. One is mid-step with arms outstretched, and the others are smiling and leaning toward each other. They wear comfortable dance clothes, and there's equipment and chairs in the background.
View 16 images
Four people having fun with an empty wooden shelf on wheels. A man is leaning through one of the shelf openings while another man points a torch at him. Another man holds a torch and an empty cup over the man leaning through the shelf. A woman is stood to the side laughing. Behind them is a bare bones theatre set with two levels, and multiple doors. Four people stand in a discussion in a room filled with photos and documents of costume and set designs on the walls. The woman on the left is speaking, and the other three people are listening to her intently. A large group of people practice ballet positions in a dance studio. They're standing with arms outstretched, using barres for support. Observers are seated at a large table in the background against a wall adorned with photos of costume and set designs. The floor is wooden and painted in a blue gradient. A woman kneels on the floor with excitement, holding a small metal tin and looking at a prop skull fossil. Behind her, multiple people are sat at the edge of the room. A woman with glasses and a red sweater holds a book titled Two men are having a conversation indoors. The man on the left is wearing a colorful, patterned shirt, and the man on the right is wearing glasses and a grey sweater. They are standing in front of a white brick wall. Two women in athletic wear practice a dance routine on a blue wooden floor, smiling and holding hands. In the background, a woman in a pink skirt watches, with various stage props and doors around them in a rehearsal space. Three actors rehearse in a studio with stage props and numbered sections. The central actor has her arms raised in a ballet pose while the others stand to the sides. They are in a rehearsal room with a bare bones set behind them that has two levels and multiple doors. Two women interacting on a metal staircase. One woman in a black vest and white sweater sits on the steps, smiling and looking towards the other woman, who stands nearby in a yellow jacket. They are off to the side of a theatre set in a rehearsal room. A woman raises her arm with a smile during a group activity in a room in front of a skeleton theatre set. A few people partially visible around her join in the activity. A man in casual clothing and a rugged, furry coat smiles and gestures with his hand in a rehearsal space. Behind him is a bare bones theatre set with two levels, and some wooden shelves. A person with short hair leans on a red railing, looking outward with a thoughtful expression. In front of them is a dinosaur skull model. A person with short curly hair sits on a chair holding a script, wearing glasses and a hoodie. The background includes chairs, a hat, and people engaged in different activities. A large group of performers rehearsing ballet positions in a rehearsal space. They perform arm exercises at a barre, with a few extending their arms outward. Behind them is a bare bones theatre set with two levels, and multiple doors. A group of performers rehearse a dance in a studio with wooden walls and a piano. They are smiling and wearing casual dance attire, striking a high-energy pose with one arm up and one knee lifted.

Rehearsal images

A group of primary school children, in the centre a young person with their hand in the air

Share the joy of theatre this festive season

We’re giving over 1,000 young people free or reduced price tickets to watch our magical new production of Ballet Shoes.

Please donate today and ensure our stories fire imagination and creativity that last a lifetime.

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Cast

Stacy Abalogun photo portrait

Stacy Abalogun

Ensemble / Understudy Theo Dane/The Headmaster/Oberon and Doctor Jakes/The Clapper Loader/The Fly Operator

Eryck Brahmania photo portrait

Eryck Brahmania

Ensemble

Photo portrait of Cordelia Braithwaite

Cordelia Braithwaite

Ensemble / Understudy Winifred and A Professional Ballet Dancer/Katerina Federovsky

Luke Cinque-White

Off-Stage Swing

Photo portrait of Michelle Cornelius

Michelle Cornelius

Ensemble / Understudy Nana (Alice Gutheridge)

Photo portrait of Sonya Cullingford

Sonya Cullingford

Winifred

Yanexi Enriquez photo portrait

Yanexi Enriquez

Petrova Fossil

Photo portrait of Jenny Galloway

Jenny Galloway

Nana (Alice Gutheridge)

Photo portrait of Courtney George

Courtney George

Ensemble / Understudy Pauline Fossil and Petrova Fossil

Photo portrait of Georges Hann

Georges Hann

Ensemble

Nadine Higgin photo portrait

Nadine Higgin

Theo Dane / The Headmaster / Oberon

Nuwan Hugh Perera photo portrait

Nuwan Hugh Perera

Ensemble / Understudy Jai Saran/Nick Bottom/Charles II

Philip Labey photo portrait

Philip Labey

Ensemble / Understudy Great Uncle Matthew (GUM)/Madame Fidolia/Mr French/Mr Sholsky/Juliette Manoff

Katie Lee photo portrait

Katie Lee

On-Stage Swing

Photo portrait of Helena Lymbery

Helena Lymbery

Doctor Jakes / The Clapper Loader / The Fly Operator

Sharol Mackenzie photo portrait

Sharol Mackenzie

Ensemble / Understudy Posy Fossil

Pearl Mackie
Pearl Mackie photo portrait

Pearl Mackie

Sylvia (Garnie) / Titania

Photo portrait of Xolisweh Ana Richards

Xolisweh Ana Richards

A Professional Ballet Dancer / Katerina Federovsky / Ensemble

Photo portrait of Sid Sagar

Sid Sagar

Jai Saran / Nick Bottom / Charles II

Photo portrait of Grace Saif

Grace Saif

Pauline Fossil

Photo portrait of Justin Salinger

Justin Salinger

Great Uncle Matthew (GUM) / Madame Fidolia / Mr French / Mr Sholsky / Juliette Manoff

Photo portrait of Daisy Sequerra

Daisy Sequerra

Posy Fossil

Katie Singh photo portrait

Katie Singh

Ensemble / Understudy Sylvia (Garnie)/Titania

Artistic team

Writer

Noel Streatfeild

Playwright

Kendall Feaver

Kendall Feaver

Director

Katy Rudd

Katy Rudd

Set Designer

Frankie Bradshaw

Frankie Bradshaw

Costume Designer

Samuel Wyer

Samuel Wyer

Choreographer

Ellen Kane

Ellen Kane

Composer

Asaf Zohar

Dance Arrangements and Orchestration

Gavin Sutherland

Lighting Designer

Paule Constable

Paule Constable

Sound Designer

Ian Dickinson for Autograph

Ian Dickinson for Autograph

Video Designer

Ash J Woodward

Ash J Woodward

Illusions

Chris Fisher

Casting Director

Bryony Jarvis-Taylor

Bryony Jarvis-Taylor

Classical Coach

Cira Robinson

Dialect Coach

Penny Dyer

Voice Coach

Cathleen McCarron

Cathleen McCarron

Voice Coach

Tamsin Newlands

Tamsin Newlands

Associate Set Designer

Natalie Johnson

Associate Choreographer

Jonathan Goddard

Staff Director

Aaliyah Mckay

Aaliyah Mckay

Ticket prices

Monday – Saturday evenings and matinees:
£25, £39, £59, £79, £99

Previews 23 – 29 November:
£20, £35, £49, £64, £79

For concessions and discounts, see Ways to save

Please note the 6.30pm start time on the following Tuesday performances: 10 Dec, 17 Dec, 7 Jan, 14 Jan, 21 Jan and 28 Jan.

Visit our Ticketing FAQs for information on how to book, ticket exchanges and more.

Prices may change according to demand

What's on guide

Download a pdf of the latest guide (2MB)

Download a pdf of the latest guide in Alternative format (1.4MB)

 

Assisted performances

Captioned

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BSL Interpreted

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Audio described

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Book Tickets for Ballet Shoes

No Chilled performance available.

No Dementia-friendly performances available.

Relaxed performance

Book Tickets for Ballet Shoes

The interpreter for the BSL performance will be announced closer to the performance date.

Audio-described performances are preceded by a Touch Tour, 90 minutes before the performance start time. Call the Access line on 020 7452 3961 to book Touch Tours.

The Audio describers will be Eleanor Stollery, supported by Ess Grange.

We have an allocation of tickets held for members of our Access scheme and if any of the assisted performances above are shown as “Sold Out”, tickets may still be available: Please log in to your account to view all available tickets, or call Box Office on 020 7452 3961

Smart caption glasses

Will not be available for performances of Ballet Shoes.

Shop

Visit our Shop website for a wide range of playtexts, gifts and prints of past production posters.

Photography (Yanexi Enriquez, Grace Saif and Daisy Sequerra) by Rachel Louise Brown. CGI title by Real Life Living Things. Art direction and design by Louise Richardson and National Theatre Graphic Design Studio.