Hansel
and Gretel
Version - Stuart Paterson
Company - Dundee Rep Theatre Company
Director - Hamish Glen
Venue - Dundee Rep 01382 223530
Dates - December 2000 - 6 January 2001
Reviewer Rachel Natanson
An ugly, wicked witch, a dark, scary forest, a fairy king, a circus
troupe, lots and lots of glitter and over-sized jewels; all the perfect
ingredients for a Christmas show and elements that Stuart Paterson’s
Hansel and Gretel has with gusto.
This tale of 2 children’s fight for survival against evil and betrayal
by friends is beautifully told against the backdrop of a stunningly
crafted and adaptable set. Meg Fraser is fantastic as the energetic,
two-faced stepmother, and John Ramage wins over children’s hearts as
the clown, Uncle Shoes.
The gingerbread gypsy caravan will have all kids from 6 to 66 drooling
while the pyrotechnics and lighting add to the eerie and occasionally
frightening atmosphere. It contains everything to make a play fun, including
its very own Monkey boy, played by Andrew Clark, who entertains the
crowd superbly, finding vines wherever he is to climb up and play on.
All in all, a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours at the theatre,
whatever your age, but especially if you can take children along for
them to experience and believe the magic. There’s some audience interaction
to help the pantomime theme, but not too much so that even the most
hardened panto-cynic shouldn’t feel deterred. A lot of fun and very
enjoyable.
© Rachel Natanson 2000
