Review: Rapunzel
January 31, 2008
Venue: The Lowry
Date Reviewed: 31st January 2008
Kneehigh Theatre count Willy Russell amongst their many admirers and it’s no surprise as they invest their work with inventive, frenetically paced zanyness. Their critically acclaimed version of the film Brief Encounter is about to open in the West End at the Haymarket cinema, whilst here in the regions we have their brilliant warped vision that is Rapunzel.
Forget the golden long braids of old and bring on the Bjork style dreads as this feisty heroine is rooted in the here and now. These contemporary touches do not annoy or irritate like some fairytales when given an overhaul. Here, the clever writing is at times off the wall and disjointed but never boring.
Annie Siddons makes you care about the characters and fuses pantomime theatrics with a bawdy sense of fun, combined with the darkness of Grimm’s tales. The result meaning that there are no Disney-esque touches to sicken your stomach.
The love that Rapunzel feesl for her beau Patrizio feels real and this is given dynamic feeling by the exuberant performances. As the heroine- Edith Tankus imbues her character with such optimism that you just know love will save the day. Pieter Lawman’s athleticism and goodness wins you over also.
Paul Hunter steals this play for me, playing a multitude of characters he embraces the ‘bonkers’ plot twists and runs with the baton, slipping up on slapstick style banana skins with sheer precision, delivering jokes on a platter for the hungry, ’seen it all before’ audience.
Staged in the round, this lovely production works a treat and Michael Vale’s set compliments this excellent play by giving it a sense of the outdoors.
This original play is not completely flawless as the pace could slow down slightly. Kneehigh throw so many curve balls at the fairy tale- that it sometimes fails to deliver as consistently as you would like.
But when you witness a gun-toting sheep juxtaposed with references to Cat Stevens and Ronan Keating, you soon surrender to Rapunzel’s wacky charms.
-Glenn Meads
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