Pleasance Theatre 8 December – 3 January. Reviewed by Claire Roderick
Little Red Riding Hood is a wonderful new show for children. Written by Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary, this sweet little show tweaks the fairy tale just enough to keep the young audience guessing.
Little Red lives with her mother and father in their amazing bakery, but one day her father disappears. From then on, the cakes they bake are disgusting and Little Red decides to go to Grandma’s house for advice on how to make things better. On the way she meets the wolf, who tricks her into wandering off the path so that he can get to Grandma’s house first and eat her, with Little Red as pudding. We all know the fairy tale, but Brunger and Cleary have introduced a magical twist that is satisfying for both adults and children. The scene where Red pulls Grandma out of the wolf is a hoot, and the final confrontation in the woods is very funny. The moments of jeopardy are well signposted for the young children – music and lighting change dramatically, and then a lighter moment follows quickly to prevent any upset in the audience.
Nazarene Williams is a very modern Little Red, with just the right mix of innocence and bravery. Holly-Anna Lloyd is full of warmth as her mother, and Matthew Barrow is sweet as Red’s father and fantastically over the top as the wolf – vain and deeply nasty, imagine Stephen Fry voicing Scar in the Lion King and you’re almost there. Grandma (Patsy Blower) is feisty and bossy – her fight with the wolf is beautifully choreographed. As William the Woodcutter, Matthew Jay-Ryan is child-like and full of energy.
The set is delightful – the foliage is like a patchwork quilt, with the sky reminiscent of Matisse, the flowers and woodland creatures are origami creations – all very familiar to children who love picture books. The songs are catchy and hummable, and the cast sing and act with total commitment. This is a show that you can take your children to without worrying about the content. It is sweet, funny and has a very happy ending. Perfect Christmas entertainment for little ones.