Theatre around MK: your guide to the week ahead

The Red ShoesMilton Keynes Theatre, February 14-18Popular choreographer Matthew Bourne’s company New Adventures returns with a contemporary ballet version of classic 1948 film The Red Shoes, writes Georgina Butler.The quintessential backstage melodrama tells an intoxicating story of obsession and possession, chronicling the tragedy of a ballerina whose desire to dance conflicts with her need for love. Victoria Page is catapulted to the position of prima ballerina by impresario Boris Lermontov when he casts her in the lead role for a ballet based on Hans Christian Andersen’s dark fairy tale The Red Shoes.The plot follows a young woman who becomes enamoured by a pair of red slippers. When she puts them on, she discovers they are enchanted and compel her to dance. Powerless, she dances in a grotesque mockery of happiness until she dances herself to death.Ultimately, life imitates art for Vicky. Caught in a toxic love triangle, she spirals into a state of helplessness when she finds herself hopelessly torn between her dream career and life with the man she loves. Fortunately, Matthew Bourne is no stranger to respectfully incorporating beloved works into his repertoire of dance-theatre productions with wit and charm.www.atgtickets.com

HenceforwardNorthampton Royal, until February 11All alone, high up in an isolated, derelict suburban tower block, avant garde composer Jerome struggles vainly to complete his life’s masterwork about love.With the help of a deranged android childminder, he hatches a plan to retrieve his source of artistic inspiration, his beloved daughter Geain...www.royalandderngate.co.uk

A Pocketful of GrimmsStantonbury Theatre, February 12Let the magical Storyteller whisk you away to a land of fables and wonder to explore some of the favourite fairy tales ever told. Featuring Hansel and Gretel, the original Beauty and the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin and more. An exciting and high-energy collection of some of the most loved and less well known stories collected by the Brothers Grimm are brought to glorious life on stage in a rich mix of physical theatre, clowning, puppetry and music.With a multi-purpose set (forest, gingerbread house, palace), a cast of four accomplished actors will conjure up Grimm’s vivid characters, and amid fast-moving scenes, atmospheric music, bursts of humour, and realistic puppets an enchanted and enthralling world of make believe comes to life. stantonburytheatre.co.uk

The TwitsNorthampton Royal, February 14-18Roald Dahl’s The Twits tells the tale of the most spiteful and revolting couple you could ever hope to meet. Mr Twit’s beard is spiky and smelly and contains cornflakes, sardines and stilton! Mrs Twit is just as foul and she hates Mr Twit as much as he hates her! Half term fun for all.www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Zoe LyonsTTOTM Comedy Club, The Cannon, February 12The press release says ‘Zoe is currently living in Brighton’ and we know – we literally bumped into her down there last summer. We’ll try and watch where we’re going this weekend, when Zoe plays TTOTM on her Little Misfit tour. She’s sharp, quick and unrelenting, www.ttotm.co.uk

Lucy PorterThe Stables, February 11In this heartfelt new show of personal revelations and incisive cultural observations, stand-up Lucy Porter will cover some or all of the following: Censorship, generational conflict, theological ethics, home-brewing, quizzing, Britpop of the 1990s, falconry and Gary Wilmot...www.stables.org