For those of you who have never come across The Witches, the book was originally published by Roald Dahl’s publisher Jonathan Cape in 1983. It was originally illustrated by Quentin Blake. Seven years after its publication, the book gained its very own movie adaptation (the first, and with a more recent one starring Anne Hathaway in 2020). For a dark fantasy book touted as literature for children, it was (from my own memory) quite a scary read, albeit a thrilling one for a voracious reader like me.
From the theatre:
“Everything you know about witches is wrong. Forget the pointy hats and broomsticks: they’re the most dangerous creatures on earth.
And now they’ve come up with their most evil plan yet.
The only thing standing in their way is Luke and his Gran. But he’s ten and she’s got a dodgy heart. Time is short, danger is everywhere, and they’ve got just one chance to stop the witches from squalloping every stinking little child in England.”
This play – by the infamous children’s authors – is strictly for over eights, (or rather brave younger audiences members, though it does trail over two hours). Even I, a whole adult, felt that there were a few scary bits (that is only testimony for the play’s seamless execution by its creatives). Let that not detract you from taking more of the adults to see his spectacular show. When you think of a Roald Dahl adaptation, the ‘The Witches’ really comes for the new ‘Matilda The Musical’ crown. Its sets are stunning sets with joyous songs, camp comedy, and certainly going to have everyone wanting to call out the Witches’ plot to eradicate children. It never strays from the source material, and the slight changes to make it appropriate for 2023 make it resonate and still as enjoyable for audiences coming to the tale via this on-stage medium. There’s even a clever ploy at the top of act 2, which caught me off guard (!) about the ills of misbehaving audience members (no more than that in terms of a potential spoiler from me).
Writer Lucy Kirkwood and her director Lyndsey Turner cast a creativity super-duo in the brilliant helming of this show. Kirkwood is off to direct The Human Body at the Donmar Warehouse next year.
In Turner-Kirwood duo, we have two people who haven’t worked on a musical before, and wh work with Dave Malloy (The Great Comet) to create a night of utter gasps, laughter and smiles. The writing is zappy, the music catchy and lending the actors on stage to convey an iconic story with a new lease of life. Highlights from within the cast included Sally Ann Triplett, Chrissie Bhima, Zoe Birkett – some West End royalty, and they bring such unique characterisations to their characters and delight at every given moment. I was really pleased to see cast members Daniel Rigby (whose scene-stealing turn in Accidental Death of An Anarchist was truly marvellous) and Irvine Iqbal grace the stage as as theHotel Manager and comical Chef Chevalier(the latter not being out of place as a replacement for Mr. Moseby in The Suite Life of Zach and Cody).
Ultimately, it is the children in this show who steal the show. The actor playing Bruno’s number is honestly one of the instant mood-boosting song from a show I’ve see this year. I loved the finale song ‘Get Up!’ and to see the entire cast sued in a way where I couldn’t keep my eyes off them just brilliant all round. Go see this and bring joy this Winter season, for this production has the potential to reach an audience the recent movie adaptation wishes it did. Run forth, and frighten away Grand High Witch!
Until 27 January only:
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/the-witches/
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