INTO THE WOODS

INTO THE WOODS

Firebirds at the Brentwood Theatre

21.07.16


Into The Woods with Firebirds and Sondheim – an up-close and magical production on the intimate Brentwood stage.
The creative team behind last year's Secret Garden triumphantly enter the more challenging world of Sondheim's tricky tunes, witty lyrics and twisted fairy tales.
The classic quality of the show is only one of the key ingredients here. Production values are high: the costumes, the band and the set, which cleverly uses minimal detail for Cinders' hearth, Rapunzel's tower, Jack's cottage, the baker's shop, where rolls and baguettes give way in Act Two to diapers and bootees.
On opening night, an otherwise polished show was tarnished slightly by persistent problems with sound – very difficult to run the mixer desk from backstage, I imagine.
And of course the cast – excellent singing actors called for in this show. All the characters are wonderfully defined in Firebirds' strong, youthful company: the Baker's Wife [Fleur Sumption] and Little Red Riding Hood [Abbie Ward] both combine music and character to perfection. The Witch next door [Charlotte Rayner] and her adopted daughter Rapunzel [Kate Claussen] blend beautifully in duet, as do the two narcissistic Princes [Tom Carswell and Seb Mayo].
As often these days, the Narrator is a youngster [Theo Harris] – as well as an objective observer, he is also a scene-shifter, a dancer, a soloist in Ever After and a scapegoat sacrifice.
A deep, dark piece, with violent death and blindness prominent, Into The Woods is sensitively directed by Liz Gibson and Allen Clark. The Musical Director is Natalie Thurlow, and the Production Manager is Cathy Edkins who also appears as two mothers – Cinderella's from beyond the grave, and Jack's, despairing of her beanstalk boy [Jack Matthews].


Photograph: Seb Mayo's Cinderella Prince and Fleur Sumption's Baker's Wife.

THE SECRET GARDEN

THE SECRET GARDEN

Firebirds at Brentwood Theatre

05.09.2014

This classic tale has attracted many adapters. There's an opera, as well as the much-loved film. This Broadway version was successfully revived [and revised] by the RSC some years ago.

The saccharine score provides some lovely opportunities for a large cast of accomplished young vocalists. The whole show – arias, underscores, operatic quartets and folksy duets – sounds wonderful, with superb backing from the band under MD Natalie Thurlow.

Memorable performances from the principals – including Rachel Watson's Lily, Tom Carswell as the troubled Uncle Archibald. Young Mary is touching played by Abbie Ward, and the boy Colin is beautifully done by Theo Harris, impressive both as singer and actor.

The magic at the heart of the story is less easy to achieve, as the garden works its charm and old ghosts are exorcised. There are many telling moments – the Robin [Ria Black] as a dancer, the picnic photograph, the Dreamers, a kind of Greek Chorus haunting the stage, the red kerchief cholera. The costumes look splendid too [bar the awful uniforms], but the set is untidy, and the transformations – to sick room, to the glory of the garden - are underwhelming. A shame that not all the blackout scene changes have music cues.

But the packed theatre gave an enthusiastic reception to a welcome revival of an interesting piece of musical theatre, a fine showcase for the talents of this enterprising group. The Secret Garden is directed by Liz Gibson and Allen Clark, who also feature as Headmistress and Head Gardener, and produced by Cathy Edkins, Housekeeper and Indian Ayah.

LITTLE WOMEN

LITTLE WOMEN

Firebirds at Brentwood Theatre

26.07.13

Christopher Columbus ! An unknown group, a little known "Broadway Musical" and it's a sell-out success in Brentwood's friendly little theatre.

"Six generations have read this story … this one will sing it !" So ran the original Broadway blurb. Alas, there's not one memorable number in the show – all the music is pleasantly familiar, though, and the underscores help the show maintain its emotional momentum.

Firebirds, which grew out of Cathy Edkins' singing groups, have done an excellent job, with some fine young voices – and one or two more experienced singers – in the major roles.

Rachel Watson is Jo, the feisty aspiring writer. She brings enthusiasm, zest and presence to this demanding role – her "Astonishing" at the end of Act Two is a triumph. Excellent support from the other March girls, especially Tara-Divina Gulrajani's tragic Beth, and from Cathy Edkins' loving Marmee.

A strong cast also includes Liz Gibson's formidable Aunt March [impressively sung], Allen Clark's Mr Lawrence – a catchy duet with Beth – Seb Mayo's slightly strange grandson, and Alec Stevens as the shy Bhaer, with a soft accent and a strong baritone in his big number.

The blood and guts melodramas are brilliantly recreated against an ambitious multiple setting which features a fireplace, a piano and of course the attic where it all began …

Little Women is directed by Liz Gibson and Allen Clark, with Musical Direction by Natalie Thurlow. We look forward to their next foray into Musical Theatre !