16 – 31 December
Hammerpuzzle’s The Snow Queen is THE perfect Christmas treat this year. In an utterly charming performance lasting less than an hour let this show transport you into another world, a world of childhood innocence where we can escape the pace and pressures of our busy lives and enjoy a beautiful retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved tale of discovery, hope and friendship.
Outside, the icy streets of Cheltenham and the cold wintry air set the perfect pre-show tone. Inside, the close and cosy confines of the Irving Studio provide a wonderfully intimate environment for this family tale, where the ‘little chicks’ and ‘big chicks’ alike are invited to participate in, rather than to simply observe, a simplified but no less powerful rendering of Andersen’s story.
It is very easy for adults playing the parts of children to overplay the role and patronise both children themselves, and their wider audience, but Lizzie Crarer as Gerda, and Emmanuel Olusanya as Kai, manage to skilfully and successfully capture the joy, wonder, innocence and perils of childhood, whilst also highlighting the wisdom and insights of a youth untainted by adult experience. Gerda is joined by Bird (a pink-footed goose delightfully brought to life by Alex Wilson) on her adventure to the Arctic tundra to search for her dear friend Kai, who has disappeared from the rooftop world they have shared since birth. They fear he has gone to a distant land of frost and ice, entrapped by the enigmatic and mysterious Snow Queen, and duly set out to bring him home.
Along the way, Gerda and Bird learn the true value of friendship, the importance of not misjudging people (or polar bears) and how kindness to, and tolerance of others, as well as recognising our own values, can genuinely change us and the world we inhabit. And yet outside the theatre, as war continues to rage across the Ukraine, the price of seemingly everything soars, politicians and leaders have lost all credibility and respect, and industrial action becomes a part of normal daily life, has there ever been a more important or significant time for this message to be heard?
As with Lark Rise to Candleford, Hammerpuzzle’s parallel production which plays each evening, the clever and imaginative use of props, staging and theatrics is highly impressive. A range of settings, locations and activities, from navigating around ice-clad Arctic mountains, to jetskiing across icy waters, are conjured by nothing more than three multi-purpose triangular blocks and the sheer power of our imagination. A musical soundtrack is enhanced by the singing of this talented trio, and like the staging, the lighting is equally effective in what it suggests rather than directly presents. There is a simplicity in the production which mirrors the simple morals of this magical tale, and a message which will stay with you long after the well-deserved applause at the end of the show has died away.
The Snow Queen transports us to a land of frost and ice, but it is actually a heartwarming and life-affirming tale for all the family to enjoy. It may bring a tear to your eye, but it will unquestionably put a smile on your face, and joy and hope in your heart this Christmas. It is not to be missed.
★★★★★ Tony Clarke, 16th December, 2022
