Brothers Grimm

REVIEW: Little Sister (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester)

kristobel
Little Sister at Manchester's Royal Exchange
Little Sister at Manchester’s Royal Exchange
reviewer: Ciaran ward
upstaged rating: 

Manchester’s Royal Exchange receives the world premiere of Little Sister, a ninety-minute adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, The Six Swans. Created in collaboration with The Company, Little Sister has finally brought to life Lead Artist Mark Storer’s wish to develop such an intricate and profound piece of theatre, following a lengthy eighteen-year absence to do so. As such, no aspect of the play faltered throughout its course, making Little Sister’s quest to help return her brothers to their true human form an enchanting display of love and affection, one that entertained the audience from the very inception to the final curtain.

Despite occasional cries from characters and sporadic sound effects (contributed by Ben Almond, Dave Norton and Sorcha Williams), the prevalence of silence throughout heightened the courage and determination Little Sister offered, given the sacrifice she made to not make a sound for seven years so as to break her brothers’ curse. As a result, there was a dependence on the motion of the different characters to tell the story, one which, although an unconventional approach, made for an enjoyable and quirky experience.

One notable element of the performance was the inclusion of acrobatics in it. A rope that spanned the height of the theatre and was attached to the ceiling was artistically utilised by the skilled performer and aerialist, Alice Ellerby, providing an awe-inspiring and majestic display that was especially appropriate considering the fact the 2016 Olympic Games are due to commence. The graceful movements also proved the play to be visually profuse and thus a stunning spectacle to watch.

In particular, the rich architectural designs of the Royal Exchange Theatre meant that it was the most suitable venue in Manchester to house the play. The round theatre allowed for the entire audience, regardless of which seat they were in, to see what was happening on stage – extremely convenient as a multitude of actions, performed by different characters, were occurring in conjunction with each other for the majority of the show. In turn, this literally kept you on the edge of your seat as you attempted to spot everything going on in all corners of the stage.

A play with scarcely any lines may be perceived as boring to some, but this definitely wasn’t the case with the Little Sister. Through its accomplished choreography, aptly used props and effective use of silence, this greater emphasis on stage direction resulted in a play that entirely warranted two separate bouts of applause at the end.

-Ciaran Ward

Little Sister runs at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre until Sunday 7th August 2016 and you can get your tickets here.

 

REVIEW – ballet LORENT – Snow White (The Lowry)

kristobel1 Comment
balletLORENT -- Snow White © Kit Haigh
balletLORENT — Snow White
© Kit Haigh
UPSTAGED RATING: 

 

Following the success of Rapunzel, balletLORENT are back with a striking adaptation of the Brothers Grimm classic, Snow White.

In a return to true Grimm style, there is no wicked stepmother – instead the evil queen is Snow White’s biological mother. Following the sudden death of the King, young Snow White and her mother have a close and loving relationship for a number of years. It isn’t until Snow White becomes a beautiful young woman and her widowed mother decides to look for another love, that problems begin to manifest.

In a witty, modern and practical approach, writer Carol Ann Duffy illustrates that the Queen’s youthful looks are attributed to surgery rather than magic. In a bid to secure a nearby suitor, the affected Queen sends a portrait of herself painted years earlier, which the Prince mistakes for Snow White. In a vicious turn, the Queen is overcome with envy and sets out to have her own daughter executed.

With the ominous sound of a clock ticking in the background, Liv Lorent’s choreography conjures up beautiful images of the passing of the seasons – the young dancers blowing white feathers like snowflakes and playfully skipping with kites through an autumnal breeze. Phil Eddolls’ set design of a huge lavish dressing table is suggestive of Snow White’s coming of age – the drawers being used to emerge and conceal baby, child and young woman; another speedy turnabout and the set becomes a leafy forest to protect Snow White from the Huntsman who has been sent to kill her.

In addition, a mysterious group of miners take the place of the seven dwarves – their bodies twisted due to the amount of time that they spend underground. They move to the soundtrack of industrial banging and clanging, their headlamps bouncing in the darkness of Malcolm Rippeth’s gothic lighting design.

Natalie Trewinnard gives a youthful, athletic and passionate vision as Snow White – the duet with Huntsman Gavin Howard is beautifully expressive – gentle and impassioned all at the same time. Gwen Berwick’s as The Mirror impresses en pointe in a duet with Caroline Reece’s malevolent Queen.

balletLORENT consistently produce high-quality dance productions which are suitable for all ages. With an emphasis on storytelling, this contemporary ballet of Snow White is a perfect introduction to dance and I will certainly be waiting for the next production in balletLORENT’s fairy tale trilogy.

-Kristy Stott

ballet LORENT’s Snow White is at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh from 22nd – 23rd January 2016 before continuing the tour at Warwick Arts Centre in February. For more dates through 2016 please click here.