FIREBIRD, till 11 January

Watermill Theatre, Newbury: Tkts 01635 46044
Runs: 1h 40m: one interval: till 11th January 2003

Review: Ian Willox: 7th December 2002

Teeth and smiles.
Watermill Christmas shows are usually excellent. This year they’ve gone one better with a rollicking production of the old Russian tale of the Firebird. But the real star of the show is a wolf with no teeth.

On a tiny circular stage surrounded on all sides by restless children and irritable parents the story begins – a tree bearing golden apples, sibling rivalry, a spellbound firebird, a greedy father – transmogrifying the audience into (equally noisy) attentive excitement. Only the emergence of Baba Yaga, the witch with chicken legs, finally quietens things down. But that may have been due to her heartfelt declaration of love for a nicely roasted kid – human kid that is.

As is essential in a show of this nature the plot proceeds apace and the love match between Prince Ivan and the princess with the wooden heart is decently discreet. The real joy is the Wolf who – for the price of a tooth (having lost all his own) becomes the Prince’s sidekick. Full of bluster and ad-libs, like George Formby in a fur coat, the Wolf is a delight. The fact that he’s as delighted by his performance as we are only adds to the charm.

The Firebird is a lovely entertainment that will keep both adult and child entertained – especially if you have a soft spot for wolves.

Rosalie Mai Craig: Princess Vasilisa
Paul Harvard: The Firebird
Rebecca Jackson: Princess Katooshka & Koschei the Deathless
Paul Kissaun: Wolf
Paul Russell: Prince Ivan
Johnson Willis: Tsar Saltan, Baba Yaga & Vanka

Director: Robert Horwell
Music: Paul Kissaun
Design: Will Hargreaves
Lighting: Lawrence T Doyle

2002-12-11 23:11:37