Hippodrome commemorates landmark for director

Sir Matthew Bourne celebrates playing to over 2000,000 theatre-goers.

This week, Birmingham Hippodrome presented Sir Matthew Bourne with a commemorative seat plaque celebrating his productions playing to a total of over 200,000 people in Birmingham since his legendary production of Swan Lake first visited the theatre back in 1996.

Now a regular feature in Birmingham Hippodrome’s theatrical calendar, Sir Matthew Bourne has presented twenty-three productions on the Hippodrome stage over the course of twenty four years including Nutcracker!, Edward Scissorhands, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and The Lord of the Flies. His production of The Red Shoes is currently playing to packed houses at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 15th February.

The seat plaque, situated in G26 of the Circle, reads; “Sir Matthew Bourne; pure dance magic for 200,000 Hippodrome audiences and counting!”.

A sell-out before its world premiere season opened in 2016, Matthew Bourne’s triumphant adaptation of The Red Shoes is currently running for its third season at Birmingham Hippodrome, having won two Olivier Awards and dazzled audiences across the UK and the USA.

The Red Shoes is a tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a battleground between the two men who inspire her passion.

Set to the achingly romantic music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, The Red Shoes is orchestrated by Terry Davies and played by the New Adventures Orchestra, with cinematic designs by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Groothuis and projection design from Duncan McLean.

The Red Shoes runs at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 15th February. To book visit birminghamhippodrome.com or call 0844 338 5000.