The Stage

Wood to star in a BBC1 adaptation of Ballet Shoes

Published Friday 20 July 2007 at 14:55 by Matthew Hemley

Victoria Wood is to star in a major new dramatisation of Noel Streatfeild’s novel Ballet Shoes for BBC1.

The comedienne, whose first serious acting role was in last year’s Housewife,49 for ITV1, will be joined by Richard Griffiths and Marc Warren in the drama, which has been adapted by Heidi Thomas and will transmit later this year.

Thomas has also adapted three Elizabeth Gaskell novels for BBC1’s forthcoming Cranford Chronicles.

Ballet Shoes is set in London during the 1930s and tells the tale of orphaned sisters Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil, who are adopted by an eccentric explorer and raised by his selfless niece. The story revolves around each girl’s struggle to fulfil her dreams, with Pauline longing to be an actress, Petrova yearning to be an aviator and Posy wanting to be a ballerina.

In addition to the casting already announced, the BBC is to hold open auditions for actresses to play the roles of the sisters.

The feature length drama is being executive produced by Patrick Spence, head of drama at BBC Northern Ireland.

He said: “Ballet Shoes has been loved by generations of readers. The Fossil sisters don’t just touch hearts, they steal them.”

More information on the open casting can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/beonashow