Theatre Review: THE SNOW QUEEN – Waterside Arts, Sale

Charming, heartwarming and magical, THE SNOW QUEEN is a blusteringly delightful watch for all the family.

Charming, heartwarming, and undoubtedly magical, family theatre company Wrongsemble’s THE SNOW QUEEN is a delight to watch.

Festive fun for all the family, THE SNOW QUEEN tells the story of the young and disheartened Lumi. Distraught that the world is warming rapidly as adults stand by and watch, Lumi writes to the only person she knows can stop it – The Snow Queen. Only when Lumi’s letters go unanswered she finds that she has to be brave and take matters into her own hands.

Richard Priestley stars as titular character Madge the Snow Queen, captivating audiences of all ages. Finding the perfect balance between a cutting drag performance and a cartoonish children’s character, Priestley is effortless. He commands the stage, and whether he is singing, dancing, acting, or playing a variety of instruments, Priestley is magnificent. A force to be reckoned with, we are left wondering by the end of the performance if there is anything Priestley can’t do!

Starring as our protagonist is Amy Tara as the persistent Lumi. Tara’s energy is unmatched as she brings us into Lumi’s world of childlike wonder. Though the stage is small, with a beautifully simplistic set design, Tara brings Lumi’s world to life through her movement and characterisation, creating the vast mountains and glittering ice caps around her in the minds of the audience.

Making up the final part of the ensemble – but by no means least – is Molly-Grace Cutler. Cutler plays a whirlwind variety of characters, demonstrating character acting at its finest. Cycling through the sympathetic and supportive mother, Horton, the hoarding tortoise, Flash, the gadget-obsessed polar bear, and Oops, the mistreated elf, Cutler has given each character their own distinctive personality and presence. Her performance as Flash and Oops is a particular hit with the younger audience – and don’t go amiss with the adults, either!

The original music, written by Rosie Fox, is catchy, lyrical, and fun. It is bound to be a hit with the young ones especially, and Priestley and Cutler playing them on keyboard and guitar, respectively, was an extra special touch. The cast’s voices blend together effortlessly to create some uplifting and exciting musical sequences that pair perfectly with Fox’s lyrics.

How the cast uses the space throughout is also incredibly noteworthy. With the minimal yet vibrant set, credit must go to the cast for their excellent use of space and Piper for her direction here. The way the space is used to tell the story is clever and innovative, allowing us to forget that we aren’t really on an icy, mountainous quest.

With THE SNOW QUEEN, Elvi Piper has created a dynamic and inspiring story that leaves the audience feeling warm inside, even despite the cold of the ice caps! It sends a charming message that is easy for children to follow but still provides a flurry of laughs for the adults in the room — a blusteringly delightful watch for all the family.

THE SNOW QUEEN runs at Waterside Arts, Sale, until 30 December 2023