THE world premiere tour of Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes graces the Mayflower stage next week.

The story has seduced audiences and inspired generations of dancers with its tale of obsession, possession and one girl's dream to be the greatest dancer in the world.

Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a battleground between the two men who inspire her passion.

It's an intoxicating drama where life imitates art with fateful consequences.

Matthew Bourne's magical new adaptation of the legendary Powell and Pressburger film reunites him with his regular collaborators and New Adventures Associate Artists and the team behind the worldwide hit, Sleeping Beauty.

The title role, immortalised on screen by Moira Shearer, will be created by New Adventures star Ashley Shaw, most recently seen across the UK and internationally as Aurora in Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty. Rising star and fellow Aurora Cordelia Braithwaite will alternate the role, alongside Sleeping Beauty favourite Katrina Lyndon in her principal role debut.

Sam Archer, who created the title role of Edward Scissorhands and has starred in Cinderella, The Car Man and Play Without Words, returns to the company to play the iconic role of Svengali-like impresario Boris Lermentov.

Leading man Chris Trenfield will play musical genius Julian Kraster; the love interest. Sharing the role of Julian will be one of New Adventures most popular dancers, Dominic North, who was this year nominated for his second National Dance Award, along with rising star Andrew Monaghan who has already debuted leading roles in Swan Lake, The Car Man and Sleeping Beauty.

Ivan Boleslawsky, the role made famous by Robert Helpmann, will be created by one of New Adventures finest young dancers,

Liam Mower. The original West End Billy Elliot is now taking on his seventh principal role with New Adventures.

The Red Shoes is set to a new score arranged by New Adventures Associate Artist Terry Davies, using the mesmerising music of golden age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, most famous for his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles and Martin Scorsese.

Limited tickets remain for the Mayflower runs from Tuesday to Saturday.

Call 023 8071 1811 or visit mayflower.org.uk