York Theatre Royal – until Saturday 25th August 2018.
Reviewed by Michelle Richardson
4****
Based around Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 novel of The Secret Garden, The Theatre by the Lake production has hit York Theatre Royal, showing for the next four weeks.
Mary Lennox (Ella Dunlop), a spoilt rich girl, loves to run free mixing with the local children in India, much to the disgust of her shockingly racist, privileged, uncaring and unloving parents who are too busy partying to bestow any parenting or love. After they are killed in an earthquake, this bit differs from the book but has more of an impact on stage, she is carted off to her uncle in Yorkshire and Misselthwaite Hall. Quite fitting that it was also Yorkshire Day on press night.
Her uncle doesn’t want to see her and when he does he can’t bear to look at her, she looks so much like his dear departed wife. Frosty and stuck up at first, Mary thaws and is befriended by the maid Martha (Coral Sinclair), her brother Dickon (Matthew Durkan), who has a gift as an animal whisperer, and the gardener Ben Weatherstaff (Keith Bartlett). Enchanted by tales about a secret garden, Mary is determined to discover its whereabouts. All is not quite right, she often hears screams which no one else acknowledges.
Exploring, she stumbles across a pale, weak boy strapped to a bed. This is her cousin Colin (Steven Roberts), a sickly boy who has been bedridden for years under the order of his doctor, who also happens to be his uncle, Dr Craven (Anthony Jardine). He is the one who has been screaming after undergoing shock treatment inflicted upon him by his greedy uncle.
The set was really quite striking with the centre stage being dominated by a bank of large worn mirrors, with trees and woodland on either side. Once the mirrors opened we got to see Colin’s bedroom (torture chamber) up above, and below was Archibald Craven’s (Chris Jack) study, but next time the doors open it would be the secret garden. The greenery slowly creeps around the stage as the flowers blossom, the colours becoming more vibrant as the magic takes hold, both within the garden and the household. Puppets are used to depict the wildlife in the woodland, from a robin, to a squirrel to a fox, actors switching to puppeteers and back again with ease.
Not shying away from the more disturbing parts of the story. The first act at times is quite dark, especially the figure in white crying out in agony accompanied with haunting music. You could hear family members reassuring the younger members of the audience, but by the time the show ended all I could hear was delight, and to see the joy on everyone’s face was magical.
With a strong cast and staging, the magic of the Secret Garden is really bought to life. A summer must see full of vibrancy and colour. Suitable for over 6 year old’s, perfect for those school holidays.