Best Christmas Show is back
Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre
Back for a second year, the National Theatre’s adaptation of the Noel Streatfeild’s classic Ballet Shoes continues to garner high praise.
[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]
5 stars ★★★★★
Aliya Al- Hassan for LondonTheatre explained: ‘the tale has endured so long due to its universal themes of resilience, female self-determination, ambition and chosen family.’ She enthused: ‘With limitless charm, wry humour and a sincere heart, this revival of Ballet Shoes is a must-see for all the family.’
Dominic Maxwell of The Times also raved: ‘Katy Rudd’s handsomely playful production of Kendall Feaver’s adaptation works even better second time round (…) it feels even slicker, even more soulful, even more at ease with its copious theatrical conceits. This retelling of Noel Streatfeild’s 1936 novel about three adopted girls in interwar London is a total treat.’
Christiana Rose for BroadwayWorld summed up her thoughts: ‘Ballet Shoes is rich, heartfelt and exquisitely crafted with a uniquely talented cast and a vision which underlines the themes of ambition, family and individuality. It honours the spirit of the original novel while elevating to present a visually stunning, musically vibrant and deeply human celebration of growing up and finding one’s place in the world. It is a triumph for The National Theatre’.
4 stars ★★★★
The Stage’s Sam Marlowe declared: ‘while it’s heady with the whiff of greasepaint, it also has grit.’ The Standard’s Nick Curtis said: ‘This is a splendid piece of inventive theatre that’s also great family entertainment.’
Reviews from 2024
5 stars ★★★★★
At the i Fiona Mountford announced, ‘here is a real Christmas cracker from the National Theatre’, saying it ‘has been exuberantly adapted by Kendall Feaver in a manner so skilful it will please the novel’s generations of fans while simultaneously enchanting a whole new audience.’
For The Telegraph‘s Dominic Cavendish: ‘the girls’ voyage of discovery is … thrilling and catches a collective joy achieved through pluck and grit.’ I
Sarah Crompton at WhatsOnStage noted: ‘Above all the staging, fluidly choreographed by Ellen Kane (with Jonathan Goddard), creates its own magic, making a story that is full of love for the self-realising powers of theatre and dance into a transformative experience in itself.’
Alice Saville in The Independent said it ’is as delicately balanced as a dancer en pointe as it leaps between its period setting and the present, finding ways to diversify and complexify this story in ways that never feel lazy or jarring. It’s a Christmas treat for every possible kind of family.’
4 stars ★★★★
The Guardian‘s Arifa Akbar decided: ‘this is an exquisite Christmas cracker of a show, albeit an elegant one that never quite let its hair down, but still it is filled with spectacular theatricality and fabulous performances all round
Louise Levine for the Financial Times noted: ‘Kendall Feaver’s dramatisation galvanises Streatfeild’s chronicle into a lively feminist tale of self-discovery and mutual support. Katy Rudd’s decisive direction keeps exposition to a minimum and handles the passage of time with wit and economy as our three heroines slog through daily class or toil away in the chorus.’
Susannah Clapp at The Observer joined in the praise: ‘adapter Kendall Feaver and director Katy Rudd have not simply sent the original text pirouetting over the stage but subtly rewired it for today.’
3 stars ★★★
Only Time Out’s Andrzej Lukowski struck a slightly sour note: ‘It’s slick, classy and meticulously directed by Katy Rudd. But ultimately it lacks dramatic punch.’
Critics’ average rating 4.5★
Value rating 50 (Value rating is the Average Critic Rating divided by the typical ticket price)
Ballet Shoes can be seen at the National Theatre until 21 February 2026. Buy tickets directly from the theatre
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