THE SNOW QUEEN
****
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, Tues 3 Dec
Compared to The Princess and the Pea and The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen is perhaps one of Hans Christian Andersen’s lesser-known stories. But this winter’s tale is the perfect festive fable for a Christmas show, exploring the seasonal themes of friendship and kindness.
The Sherman Theatre’s production (with direction by Tessa Walker and original music composed by Conor Mitchell) brings this dark and mysterious tale bang up-to-date with humour and contemporary nuances that are easily relatable for a young, modern audience.
The story is narrated by a babysitter and the grumpy 12 year-old tween she is in charge of, who find themselves snowed-in with only candles for light and stories for entertainment. The boy called Sat (played by Morgan Llewelyn Jones) initially thinks that having no lights or TV is the most boring thing ever – that is, until the story unfolds.
The tale centres around Gerda (Anni Dafydd), an ever-so-slightly spoilt young girl who, due to a poor turn of phrase, falls out with her best friend Kai (Ed Parry) – who, in turn, wanders off into the snow. On her journey to find him, she meets all sorts of unusual characters – from Ms. Gardener and her talking flowers, a clever crow (played by brilliant puppeteer, actor and singer Jo Servi) and a loveable reindeer called Julian.
The fantastical set and ingenious costume design (I’ve never seen so many different uses for fringed lampshades!) are a world away from the CGI manifestations of the big screen – and they are all the more powerful for it. The feel of the whole production has echoes of Frozen, with elements of the magic and mystery of Harry Potter, and motifs straight out of The Wizard of Oz.
But I really don’t want to give too much more away. Suffice to say, having been to the Sherman’s Christmas shows for the last four years, they have consistently tempted me away from shelling out for a panto. In four years, I have never been disappointed and neither has my daughter. So if you want a sprinkling of snow-covered enchantment this Christmas, this is the festive family show for you.
words CLAIRE MAHONEY photos MARK DOUET
The Snow Queen is at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff until Tues 31 Dec. Tickets and info here.