THE SNOW QUEEN. To 8 January.
Southampton
THE SNOW QUEEN
by Hans Christian Andersen
Nuffield Theatre, Southampton to 8 January 2005
Tue-Sun various dates 10.30am 2.30pm 7pm
Runs 2hr 30min One interval (+ 5 min interlude)
TICKETS: 023 8067 1771
Review Hazel Brown 2 November 2004
Icy show sets the theatre alight.This delightful Hans Anderson adaptation maintains the icy menace at its heart while providing many happy and joyful moments. The Nuffield has evolved its own style of Christmas show, infusing a classic story, with original songs and live music, skillfully used teams of young performers alongside seasoned actors, plus tactful involvement of young audience members, groan-inducing puns and jokes and some excellent knockabout humour, with love and fortitude finally triumphant.
The Snow Queen, Michele Moran, is tall, menacing and beautiful, with a fine singing voice. She captures young Kai (not a man in the house could have resisted the invitation to be wrapped in her gorgeous white bearskin coat), helped by David Alcock's larger-than-life Wicked Magician.
Kai's resourceful friend, Gerda (Lisa McNaught, charming in comedy running gag of her story becoming boring - and as someone whose heart is the strongest weapon), is helped or hindered in searching for him by human and animal characters, including a Raven (Steven Spiegel giving a fine comic performance as a Cockney Raven expelled from the Tower of London for being a vegetarian), David Alcock as an almost balletic Reindeer and a huge Polar Bear.
Janet Jefferies' White Witch tries to keep Gerda in her enchanted garden with its bed of talking flowers (a huge furry caterpillar wriggling over the stage when chased by The Raven). Then there is the Princess (Laila Vakil, another actress with a lovely voice) trying to prevent Gerda leaving her palace. Vakil doubles as the Robber Maiden who also wants to detain the girl.
The young performers show their singing and ensemble talents, as Bad Boys, Bad Girls, flowers (plus a disgruntled carrot), a flock of pigeons and a delightful group of Penguins. These plunge into the audience for help building Gerda an igloo (a triumph of design); helpers receive a small gift from the Seal of Approval.
In no way is the young audience short-changed in this production. Sets are sumptuous, costumes gorgeous, music and singing original and appropriate to the story, lighting and sound effects tremendous. And, at the end, a White Christmas is guaranteed for everyone.
Wicked Magician/Guard/Reindeer: David Alcock
Kai: Robin Belfield
Granny/Witch/Lady Raven/Robber Mother/ Wise Woman of the Inuit: Janet Jefferies
Gerda: Lisa McNaught
The Snow Queen: Michelle Moran
Raven: Andy Spiegel
Princess/Robber Maiden: Laila Vakil
Children's Team Leaders: Charlotte Williams, Martin Hiley, Helen Jolley, Natalie Sahota, Adam Rood, Daniel Swaine, Ben Worth and Hannah Cowburn
Reindeer: Phoebe Blandford, Hannah Braithwaite, Eliomar Delgado, Charlotte Dowie, Jade Downie, Daniel Gavin, Jessica Hall, Jess Mooney, Tom Mooney, David Trim, Thomas Watters
Polar Bears: Joe Boylan, Michael Butterworth, Lerryn Edghill, Aimee Hodnet, Connie Hopper, Emma Leedham, Matt Rawlins, Hannah Rood, Olivia Smith, Jacob Tilley, Harry White
Penguins: Ben Frampton, Rosie Haas, Catherine Hiley, Tim Hiley, Emily Hill, David Hurley, Emma Hurley, Simon Pothecary, Erin Prukiss, Eddie Smith, Helena Wealleans
Director: Patrick Sandford
Designer: Agnes Treplin
Lighting: David W Kidd
Sound: Matt Valentine
Composer: Simon Slater
Musical Director: Russell Churney
Youth/Community Director: Fran Morley
Movement: Catherine Church
2004-12-02 00:49:13