National Theatre’s Ballet Shoes to return next winter

Noel Streatfeild’s best-selling book Ballet Shoes, adapted for the stage by Kendall Feaver, will return in the winter of 2025.

The family show will once more play on the National Theatre’s Olivier stage over the festive season later this year. The piece follows three adopted sisters living in a crumbling house, learning to forge a future while keeping their family together. Directed by Katy Rudd, it was first seen last autumn where it opened to glowing reviews.

The show is the first announced by incoming director and co-chief executive of the National Theatre, Indhu Rubasingham, who said: “I am proud that Ballet Shoes will be returning to the Olivier this Christmas. It is a celebration of what the NT does best – when all the teams, departments and the widest range of expertise come together to create a family show for all audiences full of theatrical magic. I want more people to see this beautiful show made by wonderful artists, developed and built by this brilliant organisation.”

Alongside Rudd as director, the show’s creative team includes set designer Frankie Bradshaw, costume designer Samuel Wyer, choreographer Ellen Kane, composer Asaf Zohar, dance arranger and orchestrator Gavin Sutherland, lighting designer Paule Constable, sound designer Ian Dickinson for Autograph, video designer Ash J Woodward, illusions director Chris Fisher, casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, dialect coach Penny Dyer and voice coach Cathleen McCarron.

Further programming will be announced soon.