Reviews

The writers of the show say in the programme: ‘Whilst every effort has been made to stick to Daniel Defoe’s story, we have exercised a certain amount of artistic licence in our interpretation’, to which the only possible response is: ‘You’re not kidding!’ They have imported cannibals (whose leader must be in line for the award for the best invented name in this year’s pantomimes: Chief Chewsumupanspitsumoutum), pirates, a talking parrot and a Man Friday who has returned to his island on a gap year after finishing his degree at Oxford. And such liberties matter not a bit, since they

Musical director Lee Redwood and director/choreographer Sarah Haberfield should be very pleased with their cast and crew of this very involved version of the classic French story. All the cast work very hard throughout to make the most of a rather long-winded excursion through this tale, involving ugly sisters, a beauty parlour scene (an allegory for the fatal transformation perhaps – nah), a horse called Gigi, children and villagers aplenty, a dolly dame and an ’Allo ’Allo style French café. Much of the main story is contained throughout the second half, the first introducing the cast and allowing the traditional

It is a happy coincidence that Arena Theatre’s 100th production since its foundation in 1983 falls in the festive season, as it gives the chance to celebrate the landmark with this excellent version of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. In adapting the book, Rachael Cheeseman has been faithful to the plot, characters and often the words of the original; as director, she has been able to include touches which add life and energy to the story. Among these is the sound, which is distracting in a good way by being at once anachronistic and suitable: ‘Frosty the snowman’ at the Fezziwigs’

You can’t argue with either of the words in the title of this show: Christmas is coming, and the show itself is nothing if not spectacular. At the same time, there is an intimate, family air about it, and it is a nice touch, but somehow not surprising, to find the cast lining the foyer to chat and say goodbye as one leaves. Although the set itself is simple and in neutral colours of white and grey, it is only a background for some wonderfully colourful work. Literally so in the case of the fabulous costumes. I didn’t try to

This is a definitely a show for the whole family and the presence of attentive and focused children on stage is a brilliance in itself. There is a wonderful piece of writing in the programme from celebrated performer and eerie Ghost of Marley, Earl Carpenter. He writes about how the whole experience is absolutely free for all the children involved, which is such an amazing opportunity, and the enjoyment that they are having on stage emanates into the theatre. The children’s chorus is split into three: one team named ‘Bah’, the next ‘Hum’ and the last ‘Bug’. I watched the ‘Hum’

Alice in Wonderland is a darned good children’s story but extremely weird at anything beyond the most superficial level. That’s why it has provided rich pickings for adapters, analysts and imaginative stage designers. Psychologists love it, too, the Jungians for its dream-like quality and the Freudians for its rich symbolism, all set against the author’s strong interest in pre-pubescent girls. Few of the versions or adaptations are more interesting than Laura Wade’s, which opens at a funeral at which the usual embarrassed clichés are repeated ad nauseam while Alice sits immobile and silent on a large chair centre stage. It