Theatr Clwyd, Yr Wryddgrug – until 25th March 2023
Reviewed by Julie Noller
4****
Little Women an American literary classic exploring family life during the trying times surrounding the American Civil War. Written and published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869 by Louisa May Alcott.
It supposedly draws on Louisa’s own life experiences of growing up as the second of four sisters the tomboy surrounded by roses. This version draws on the emotions within the story using Jo as the main storyteller. It’s essentially a one woman actor, one man musician play; having come about during lockdown when the nation was reaching for contact within zoom, Jenny Wicks, the Director, adapted and worked with Hannah Churchill (Jo March) to develop the characters looking at each in depth. Kieran Capaldi came on board adding music which is a fantastic addition, adding lightness into what could quite easily become a heavy and mentally draining piece of theatre. Reece Webster then joined the small creative team as Laurie or Theodore Laurence.
Hannah Churchill you can tell has lived the role delving into Jo’s psyche and delivering a highly emotive sometimes raw performance but never faltering. It’s a brilliant look at Jo and how she herself as the writer of the story looks at not just her sisters but views the people she holds dear. It has what many film adaptations lack, with their confusing multi character analysis often missing the emotional element and encouraging attachment to one fully rounded character for us to concentrate on. For somewhat like the pages of a book I found my imagination working and forming pictures following Jo’s descriptions and words in her sisters voices.
Reece Webster as Laurie is an encouraging and welcome addition helping the story develop, keeping things from going too dark. It’s a reminder that music can trigger many memories, both good and bad.
As a story there is a lot of content for one women to deliver within one show but congratulations it is managed, it could have evolved in many directions but I’m happy to say it didn’t follow the romance path but took Jo as a character and looked at her emotionally, her angers, what makes her tick. We see just how spirited Jo is. It felt sometimes that Laurie was just tagging long for the ride but in reality that is the true nature of their friendship and his matter of factness in having married Amy, was quite fitting in closing the play with the mention of the floppy haired, kind brown eyed professor having called to visit.
Almost like a book closing a chapter the play finished with the closing of the chapter of childhood.