The Snow Queen
adapted by Neil Duffield
from the story by Hans Christian Andersen.

The Dukes, Lancaster.
27 Nov 2003 - 3 Jan 2004

Reviewed by

Ok, let's just say straight from the outset that I really enjoyed this production, and so did the schoolchildren sitting all around us. We hissed, we cheered and we had a good time.

The opening set designed by Paul Kondras is beautiful - icy and sparkly. And the dramatic entry of the Snow Queen was impressive. Yet again Amy Rhiannon Worth showed fine talent, as she did in the Grimms Tales summer promenade production, capturing every scene she appears in.

When the children go to sleep and the toybox opens for the dramatic emergence of the ragdoll we were enchanted. It can't be easy to give a rag doll character - but Lynette Clarke managed it, winning our sympathy and keeping us onside throughout the play.

This reworking of the old story has a strong vein of nordic classical allusions and for 7yrs upwards it's a great introduction to the theatre - and younger children (like my four year old companion) will be fascinated by the spectacle and have a fair idea which are the goodies and the baddies. (She didn't like the cave troll at all!)

Victoria Fleming makes a very sweet and charming Gerda and Sue McCormick's range of accents (as the girls travel northwards) is impressive too.

A quick audience survey (taken in the queue for the ladies during the interval) polled the Snow Queen as the most striking character - the schoolgirls I talked to thought she looked great and loved her kit - especially the icy talons.

The bit where Kai (Robin Johnson) is shown to have turned bad - by being mean to a baby seal - had me giggling uncontrollably, and we all enjoyed the antics of Jack Frost (Danny Burns) and his nippers. The place went ballistic when Gerda and ragdoll Freya got chased out into the audience and we had to hide them while the baddies chased through the auditorium looking for them.

If there was any weakness it was, as so often with Dukes productions, the choreography, or rather its execution - the dance numbers are always a bit untogether and lack the snappiness and tightness that would make them really engaging. But these are only a minor element in this show which runs on its strong characters. The climax is dramatic and we loved it. But I won't tell you what happens - you'll have to see for yourself!

My young friend is still talking about it days later - and we have a new game now based on the Jack Frost routine. I'd definitely recommend you get tickets while you can.