Meow Meow’s The Red Shoes at Malthouse Theatre

Internationally adored performance artist Meow Meow returns to Melbourne with The Red Shoes – a darkly funny, musically rich reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s cautionary fairytale.

In Andersen’s story, a girl’s vanity condemns her to dance endlessly in cursed red shoes. In Meow Meow’s hands, the myth is turned on its head: what if she could never start dancing at all? From that question comes a glittering, anarchic meditation on art, desire and the possibility of redemption.

Directed by Kate Champion (artistic director of Black Swan State Theatre Company), The Red Shoes fuses theatre and live music in Meow Meow’s signature style – part glitter, part heartbreak, part existential meltdown. She’s joined on stage by Kanen Breen, Mark Jones, Dan Witton and Jethro Woodward, with design by Dann Barber and lighting by Rachel Burke, conjuring a world that’s decadent, dangerous and a little unhinged.

Meow Meow has shattered theatrical conventions from New York’s Carnegie Hall to Sydney Opera House, earning a global cult following for performances that often turn disaster into ecstatic poetry. Following the success of Meow Meow’s takes on The Little Mermaid and The Little Match Girl, this latest instalment is equal parts satire and seduction. Expect hairy fauns, singing swans, showgirl stars and much, much more.

Tickets are on sale now at malthousetheatre.com.au.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Malthouse Theatre.