Ballet Shoes returns to the National Theatre for the festive season
Noel Streatfeild’s beloved tale of ambition, family and finding your feet is set to return to the National Theatre this winter, as Ballet Shoes makes its second outing on the Olivier stage.
Adapted by Kendall Feaver and directed by Katy Rudd, the production opens on 25 November and runs until 21 February 2026 — part of Indhu Rubasingham’s inaugural season as director and co-chief executive.
This playful and poignant version of the 1936 children’s classic follows three adopted sisters — Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil — as they navigate childhood, the performing arts and the constraints of prewar gender roles from their chaotic Camden Town home. First staged at the NT in 2023 to five-star reviews, the production mixes movement, storytelling and a touch of stage magic.
This year’s cast sees Sienna Arif-Knights, Nina Cassells and Scarlett Monahan step into the roles of the Fossil sisters, with returning performers including Justin Salinger as Great Uncle Matthew and Lesley Nicol as Nana. Anoushka Lucas joins as Sylvia, the girls’ guardian, alongside Raj Bajaj, Xolisweh Ana Richards and a large ensemble, with further casting to be announced.
Set in a London house filled with dinosaur bones and boarding-house lodgers, the story sees the three sisters forge different paths — the stage, the skies, the ballet studio — in a world that doesn’t always make room for female ambition. Under the watchful eyes of Sylvia, Nana and their eccentric tenants, the Fossils learn to follow their passions and each other.
Rudd’s production features choreography by Ellen Kane and music by Asaf Zohar, with designs by Frankie Bradshaw and lighting by Paule Constable. Returning to the Olivier just ahead of the festive season, it’s billed as a family show for audiences “aged 7 to 107”.
The run also continues the National Theatre’s partnership with Coram, the UK’s longest-running children’s charity, whose adoption and education work has shaped lives for centuries. As with the original production, the collaboration celebrates stories of belonging, care and chosen family.
Ballet Shoes runs at the National Theatre from 25 November 2025 to 21 February 2026.
For more information, please visit nationaltheatre.org.uk
Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
