StoryHouse, Chester – until Saturday March 23rd 2019
Reviewed by Julie Noller
5*****
Wise Children; are any of us truly wise? Regardless of how old we are. We are continuously evolving and that’s what strikes me about Wise Children. This play hits the ground running it’s as confusing as it is brilliant. It is a simplistic story, in a nutshell it is all about family bonds and what exactly is the definition of family. But it’s just as equally a story of complex family needs and bonds, desires in no holds barred smack you in the face, warts and all behind the smiles, there’s tears and tantrums, twists and turns.
The action begins outside as the audience are gathered supping a pre-show drink, milling and chatting with each other, many stopping to look at the brightly decorated dressing table with 2 mirrors. All of a sudden 2 young girls race through pausing to giggle, full of high energy they bolt up and down stairs, stopping long enough for you to glimpse the embroidered N and D on their white dresses, joined in contrast by an old man dressed as if a caretaker with brush in hand he gently sweeps around us. We all move into the theatre to take our seats, the set is magnificently basic, pipes and lights as if backstage at a theatre, a caravan as if we might we might be witnessing a circus arriving into town. Dancers limbering up, costumes basic but shorts and tight fitting tops. With your eyes flitting back and forth you wonder what is about to be unleashed.
Emma Rice has not only chosen Angela Carters last novel to adapt and direct but taken it’s title Wise Children to be the name of her theatre company. It’s a tale that crosses time inter-warped with modern day, as if our older storyteller is looking back, at times I actually feel like I’m living in Dora’s mind. The constant presence on stage of Dora brilliantly brought to life with flare and a touch of campness by Gareth Snook in contrast to the somewhat calm and quiet Etta Murfitt as Nora helps to establish this is in fact their memories unfolding from beginning to end. A story covering years actually is only one day, from the arrival of an invitation to their fathers birthday what actually their own 75th birthday. Twins so close they have never lived apart and finish each others sentence. Theatre, music and dance is in their blood from the story of their Grandparents treading the boards, Shakespeare has a lot to answer for. Is it a case that for all actors to be taken seriously they must have brought his works to life? There is certainly lots of naughtiness, this adaption does not shy away from the matters at hand, nudity, sexual liaisons at a time that sexual promiscuity was frowned upon. Amazingly with such a complex deliciously chaotic scene being whizzed about on the stage in front of us, many of the actors manage to play various roles going from young to old even male to female. Nora and Dora are introduced as puppets, then as young girls (Bettrys Jones and Mirabelle Gremaud) playing and discovering life with Granny Chance wonderfully portrayed as a Catherine Tate-esque Nan by Katy Owen, owner of a boarding house and full of fun for life as well as a penchant for naturism.
They are first introduced to Perigrine Hazard to Uncle Peri, at first a somewhat fancy free, father figure encouraging the girls to dance and sing, sending cheques that pay for those dance lessons. Nothing wrong with an uncle helping out, enjoying his young nieces company is there? In contrast there is Melchior Hazard their father a man so selfish he seeks only fame and glory for himself, denying his girls a family. They wish only to be acknowledged and belong. Showgirls Dora and Nora, once again it’s a change on stage they are older and have even changed race and sexuality, Melissa James and Omari Douglas shine and oh my you can’t help but admire the muscles in those short burlesque style costumes. There’s dance numbers with songs. Don’t try to box Wise Children into a neat package it won’t work, it doesn’t fit any genres is it a musical? A dance show? Hard gritty tale of reality? Comedy and tragedy? Yes it actually ticks all boxes but just make sure you untick them all too. It may make you feel uncomfortable there’s sexual and physical abuse, unseen and just gently touched upon but the visual context is enough to catch your breath.
It’s an extremely brave show, that pushes through boundaries, it’s witty and entertaining. It’s typically British cross dressing pantomime dames, false moustache wearing lovers. If comedy is tragedy that happens to other people then look no further than Gorgeous George (Paul Hunter) a showman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Ken Dodd with his wild hair and catch phrase; hope for the best, expect the worst. He is a throwback to comedy players who graced many a music hall stage in a bygone era. The performance may have over run slightly this was due to the lights failing, amusingly most of the audience, myself included believed it part of the performance. Bravo to the all on stage for getting through, cracking ad libbed jokes that kept the performance polished. Well done on returning to the stage exactly where they had left off, experience and practice in this instance shining bright and clear, stars of stage indeed. The little nods throughout to the local area amused us greatly. Wise Children brings a moral story to life whilst showing little morals itself. I will continue today to dissect exactly what I’ve seen on stage