We acknowledge the unceded lands of the Kulin nation. We acknowledge their sovereignty and their songlines. We pay respect to their elders and their children. We embrace and celebrate the oldest culture in the world.
WELCOME
Welcome to Meow Meow’s The Red Shoes at Malthouse
We are delighted to have the virtuosic and original talent that is Meow Meow back at Malthouse, rounding out her much-loved trilogy of Hans Christian Anderson adaptations. Back in 2011, Meow Meow put her purrfectly wild twist on The Little Match Girl, with The Age officially branding the show “a winner”. In 2016, she followed up with Meow Meow’s Little Mermaid, where sexy spectacle dripped into a bittersweet take on what constitutes a ‘happy ending’.
Now, almost nine years later, Meow Meow is back to turn The Red Shoes on its head, with guidance from director Kate Champion. At a time when we’re all asking ‘How can we dance when the world is ending?’, Meow brings her particular brand of wit, glamour and sophistication to the question, with lashings of humour to boot.
Meow is an international star who sells out shows spanning New York, London and Berlin. What better way to top off a successful Malthouse Season 2025, than by giving Melbourne audiences the chance to experience the whirlwind that is Meow once more.
Slip on your best crimson slippers and get ready to remember why you wanted to dance in the first place.
DIRECTOR'S NOTE
KATE CHAMPION
To enter into a creative process with Meow Meow is to set forth on a wondrous adventure even more impressive and intriguing than her gravity defying, ebony locks. It's a 'heady' mix of masses of in-depth research tossed with healthy doses of spontaneous hilarity and finely tuned arrangements; all filtered through gleeful improvised discoveries. Intriguingly none of us can know for sure where its twists and turns might lead us, but we all have the utmost faith in its glorious destination. She's a powerhouse talent with a heart of gold, accompanied by some extraordinary creative collaborators and dextrously gifted fellow performers.
We are still in the cauldron of creation as I write. The author Hans Christian Anderson was a complicated character and one can never be sure how autobiographical his various protagonists might actually have been. The tale of The Red Shoes can, at first glance, appear solely as a punitive tale against youthful feminine impropriety and material desire. Yet on further contemplation it reveals itself to be a multifaceted metaphor for a myriad of societal ailments and relatable time worn inflictions.
As Meow finds herself in response to The Red Shoes caught between inertia and endless acceleration, inside too much noise and not enough reason, she reaches longingly for the poetic and the communal, for the simple act of moving our bodies to a pulse, towards breathing, gasping and sighing together in the hope of finding some kind of simple, shared and vital solace.
Cast & Creatives
Photo of MEOW MEOW
MEOW MEOW
CREATOR & PERFORMER
Photo of KANEN BREEN
KANEN BREEN
PERFORMER
Photo of MARK JONES
MARK JONES
PERFORMER
Photo of DAN WITTON
DAN WITTON
HE/HIM
PERFORMER
Photo of KATE CHAMPION
KATE CHAMPION
DIRECTOR
Photo of JETHRO WOODWARD
JETHRO WOODWARD
HE/HIM
MUSICAL DIRECTOR & SOUND DESIGNER
Photo of DANN BARBER
DANN BARBER
HE/HIM
SET & COSTUME DESIGNER
Photo of RACHEL BURKE
RACHEL BURKE
SHE/HER
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Photo of LISA OSBORN
LISA OSBORN
SHE/HER
STAGE MANAGER
"To enter into a creative process with Meow Meow is to set forth on a wondrous adventure even more impressive and intriguing than her gravity defying, ebony locks."
KATE CHAMPION
Aaron Beach, Eamon Flack, Fiona Houlton, Emma Diaz and Belvoir; Kate Champion, Kathleen Higgs and Black Swan State Theatre Company; Helen Townshend from Creative Representation; Jeff Weaver from Weaver Artist Management; Jens Radda; Paul Jackson; Tom Wright; Scott Pietriche; Nathalie and the team at Quest Southbank; Sydney Theatre Company.
CONTENT WARNING
This production contains mild coarse language, haze, smoke effects, and strobe lighting.
DURATION
The running time for this production is approximately 90 minutes, with no interval.
Malthouse Theatre presents, In association with Belvoir & Black Swan State Theatre Company MEOW MEOW'S THE RED SHOES CREATED BY MEOW MEOW
CAST
Meow Meow Kanen Breen Mark Jones Dan Witton Jethro Woodward
CREATIVES
Creator Meow Meow Director Kate Champion Musical Director & Sound Designer Jethro Woodward Set & Costume Designer Dann Barber Lighting Designer Rachel Burke
Stage Manager Lisa Osborn Assistant Stage Manager Cointha Walkeden Scenic Art Patrick Jones Costume Construction Jo Foley,Ra Stewart Millinery Philip Rhodes Art Finishing Nell Ferguson
Key Campaign Image Karl Giant Rehearsal Photography Charlie Kinross Production Photography Brett Boardman
SONG CREDITS
“Round and Round” Written by Meow Meow & Jethro Woodward Arranged by The Why Why Whys
“Why? Why? Why?” Written by Meow Meow & Mark Jones
"No Surprises" Written by Colin Greenwood, Jonathan Greenwood, Edward O’Brien, Philip Selway & Thom Yorke. Warner Chappell Music Ltd (PRS) All Rights Administered by Warner Chappell Music Australia Pty Ltd
“The Little Song” Written by Meow Meow & Jethro Woodward
“You Are My Destiny” Written by Paul Anka Courtesy of Warner Chappell Music Pty Ltd (Licensed via APRA AMCOS)
“The Red Song” Written by Meow Meow and The Why Why Whys
“Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” Written by Claude Debussy Arranged by The Why Why Whys
“Jeg Snakker Med Mig Selv” Written by Otto Francker & Sejr Volmer Sørensen (c) Sony Music Publishing Denmark AS Licensed by EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd
“Jeg elsker Dig” Written by Edvard Grieg & Hans Christian Andersen
“Not About Love” Written by Fiona Apple Published by Downtown Music UK Limited obo FHW Music Administered by Downtown Music ANZ Pty Ltd
“Smile (Pictures or it Didn't Happen)” Written by Amanda Palmer (c) Published by Eight Foot Music Administered by Kobalt Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd.
“A Commotion” Written by L. Feist Quality of Life Int. Ltd Administered by Kobalt Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd
“You Always Hurt the One You Love” Written by Doris Fisher & Allan Roberts Universal Music Corp. & Wise Music 1 Pty Ltd Administered by Universal Music Publishing Pty Ltd and APRA AMCOS
“In the Pines” Traditional Courtesy of BMG Rights Management / PRS (licensed via APRA AMCOS)
“El Amor” Written by Rafael Pérez Botija Courtesy of SGAE (licensed via APRA AMCOS)
“Here Comes the River” Written by Joe Grass, Jules Buckley, Mishka Stein & Patrick Watson Published by Concord Music Publishing ANZ Pty Ltd obo Domino Publishing Co. Ltd
Meow Meow’s The Red Shoes was originally commissioned by State Theatre Company South Australia
ANONYMOUS LIZ & CHRIS SCHELL JANINE TAI RICHARD LEONARD & GERLINDE SCHOLZ CANNY QUINE FOUNDATION JENNIFER DARBYSHIRE & DAVID WALKER CARRILLO GANTNER AC & ZIYIN GANTNER DASHIELL GANTNER & DR ANNA FOLEY
THALIA ($5,000)
JOHN & LORRAINE BATES MICHELE LEVINE ANN KEMENY & GRAHAM JOHNSON PETER & MARY-RUTH MCLENNAN ANONYMOUS CHRISTOPHER REED JORDANA HUNTER & JACOB VARGHESE ANDREW DOMASEVICIUS & AIDA TUCIUTE ROSEMARY FORBES & IAN HOCKING
MELPOMENE ($2,500)
J COWEN ANONYMOUS MICHAEL KINGSTON ALISON PYE ROSEMARY WALLS LEONARD VARY AM AND DR MATT COLLINS AM KC PETER TEMPLETON AMY & PAUL JASPER JON WEBSTER AM SUE PRESTNEY & PAUL GLEN SUSANNE DAHN JANE KUNTSLER
EUTERPE ($1,000)
ROGER DONAZZAN ANITA ANDERSON AND GRAHAM ANDERSON MIN LI CHONG JASON CRAIG NAN BROWN ANONYMOUS GRAEME JOHNSON OAM EDWINA MACKEN ANONYMOUS CARMAN'S KITCHEN JULIE LANDVOGT AND MICHAEL LANDVOGT NANNETTE HUNTER TOM O'DEA AND RUTH O'DEA ROS CASEY MARK DUCKWORTH AND LAUREN MOSSO ROD FULLER THE BRISCOE FAMILY TIM SMYTH MICHAEL RIORDAN AND GEOFFREY BUSH-COOTE GEORGE KOKKINOS & MELISSA TONKIN PETER WATSON AND SHIRLEY WATSON RICHARD DAMMERY AND ANITA DAMMERY MONICA ABRAHAMS AND SAM ABRAHAMS EVELYN FIRSTENBERG AND GRAHAM BLASHKI BEN GILBERTSON SHERWOOD FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST ROGER HATTEN SALLY BROWNE FUND JAN WILLIAMS BEETON FAMILY FUND
TERPSICHORE ($500)
CHARLIE POWLES STEVEN RICHARDSON JANE ALLAN ANONYMOUS ELISE CALLANDER LINDA & TIM NORMAN JEAN ROSS ANN MCLAREN SUSAN MCLEAN ROBERT HOSKIN AND HENRY GAUGHAN ANONYMOUS KAYLENE O'NEILL PENNY WARD FIONA MAHONY BRONWEN EVANS ANDREA MEDWIN MICHAEL JEFFORD CAMERON LEWIS MARY DYER LAWRENCE ABBEY AND KRISTY PINKERTON PROFESSOR ROBERT NORDLINGER PETER BERRY AND AMANDA QUIRK MARY-ANNE THOMAS ROSS LYONS ALAN WONG AND LICHIN LIM STEPHANIE JONES LINDY HUME JAN BEGG DAVID HAMILTON
ERATO ($250)
ANNE O'DONOVAN AO SIMON ABRAHAMS LYNDY CLARKE JOHN DURIE SHERYL BRYCE ANONYMOUS GERARD POWELL AND JULIE POWELL ANITA ROBERTS AND BRUCE ROBERTS ANONYMOUS BARBARA YUNCKEN JOY BURMAN MARK LARSEN AND DARREN BEALE MARGOT MCDONALD ANONYMOUS CHRIS TEH JUSTINE CHARLES JUDY MORTON CHRISTINA COSTIGAN ANONYMOUS PATRICK CONWAY GEOFF LAYTON ABIGAIL KING PETER CASH & BARBARA HOGARTH MICHELLE MASON ANONYMOUS PROF ROB BROWN MICHAEL CIESIELSKI CHARLES ZIKA ANONYMOUS EMILY KLUG LUCY BEST TONI SAN DIEGO LEIGH JOHNS OAM MONIQUE HODGKINSON MARITA DUNBAR ROGERIO PEREIRA HELEN CHAMPION ANONYMOUS DIANNE TEMBY COLIN DYER JANE JURICIC GLENN MUNARI AND MARIA O'SHANNESSY ANONYMOUS DAVID JOHNSTON-BELL ANTHONY BATTAINI AND MANDY BATTAINI LINDEN GOLDING AND MICHAEL GOLDING BARRY VIEIRA AND MARGARET VIEIRA PETER THOMAS AND LESLEY THOMAS ANONYMOUS DAVID LIH PETER CROCKETT LYNN NORMAN DYLAN COLE JANETTE HIBBERD JO WHYTE ROSS COLLER ALICE AMES MARGARET ASTBURY
EXECUTIVE TEAM
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & CO-CEO Vivia Hickman
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CO-CEO Dean Bryant
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jacob Varghese (Chair) Jada Alberts Jennifer Darbyshire Lindy Hume AM PhD Dr Anna Foley Alison Whyte Alan Wong
ARTISTIC & PROGRAMMING
SENIOR PRODUCER Annie Bourke PRODUCER Erica Browne CASTING DIRECTOR Rhys Velasquez, CGA NEW WORK ASSOCIATE – ARTIST DEVELOPMENT Jessica Arthur NEW WORK ASSOCIATE – SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT Keziah Warner
PRODUCTION MANAGER Blair Hart TECHNICAL MANAGER Baird McKenna OPERATIONS MANAGER Dexter Varley HEAD TECHNICIAN (LIGHTING) Rob Ballingall HEAD TECHNICIAN (SOUND) Edwin Cheah
HEAD OF WARDROBE Delia Spicer WORKSHOP MANAGER Goffredo Mameli SET BUILDERS Elizabeth Whitton, Lennon Fowler
PRODUCTION STAFF
Taran Ablitt Ash Basham Rami Boles Andrew Boswell Suzie Brooks Eden Burke Taarani Charrett-Dunlop Gideon Couzens Joanna Foley Justin Gardham Finnian Gleeson Luke Grana Jodi Hope Claudia Howarth Kara Jaeger-Pound Josh Mackenzie Sydney Millar Alexander Nguyen William Palazzo Chris Payne Darren Peet Rhys Pottinger Arielle Roberts Jacob Shears Madeleine Somers Jasper Spicer Nathaniel Sy Nofar Szumer-Menashe Darren Thao Joshua Trippett Jamie Turner Em Van Dyk Sasha Vulling Matilda Woodroofe
VENUE MANAGEMENT
FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER Dani Goder
FRONT OF HOUSE ATTENDANTS
Alice Fittock Aljin Abella Barney Spicer Hayley Wolters Kate Washington Kenny Waite Lauren Walmsley Louisa Carpinteri Lucy Grant Lucy Seale Mitch Brotz Molly Wilson-McKenna Nergis Altunevlek Ponie Curtis Sara Norman Sophie McCrae Texas Nixon-Kain Tom Gannon Victoria Barlow Zoë Hadler
Key Campaign Image Karl Giant Production Photography Brett Boardman
