The Stage

Shoes

Published Wednesday 8 September 2010 at 12:12 by Sarah Frater

When Sadler’s Wells announced it was producing a new show about shoes, by Jerry Springer - The Opera creator Richard Thomas, most expected a scathing look on our fixation with footwear. Thomas certainly mocks our love of platforms, trainers and flip-flops, and the rivalry and expense that goes with it, but with director/choreographer Stephen Mear it is more of a gentle telling off than an all-out attack.

A scene from Health Safety from Shoes at Sadler's Wells Photo: Tristram Kenton

The two hour show is a slick production. The snappy, often hilarious musical numbers come thick and fast, with sharp moves and wry lyrics. Thomas is well known for his ironic wordplay, which he’s burnished to perfection in Shoes. Mear, meanwhile, exaggerates show dancing styles to lampoon the silliness of our obsession with designers and the latest shoe fashion. He’s joined by four additional choreographers including street dance specialist Kate Prince, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui who creates some of the most original movement ideas.

Shoes is a cross between a musical and a revue, with singing, recitative and choreography. There are 12 able dancers, four excellent singers and a lively band led by musical director Jonathan Williams. Set designer Tom Pye and costumer designer Laura Hopkins create a glossy, almost boutique look which hints at the luxury shops where we ogle the latest fashions. In truth, the show lets our celebrity and designer culture off the hook and it doesn’t attempt to unpick why we aspire to buying shoes costing £300. The first sequence also lacks precision and pace, although things swiftly pick up.