REVIEW: Rapunzel on the Watermill Theatre

The story of Rapunzel, the attractive girl with golden hair who’s locked in a tower is finest generally known as one of many Brothers Grimm’s 1812 fairy tales and for its well-known line “let down your hair” to provide entry to her room. Annie Siddons has developed the story right into a full-blown Christmas kids’s leisure geared toward major faculty children however with a couple of components for his or her dad and mom too by giving a whole again story to the Prince who turns into Rapunzel’s suitor. In this model on the delightfully intimate Watermill Theatre close to Newbury in Berkshire, we meet the Duchess (Miiya Alexandra) who has two sons, Paulo (Roddy Lynch), the bold evil brother and Patrizio (Loris Scarpa), her favorite son and chosen inheritor to the Kingdom. Rapunzel finds herself caught up within the battle between them.

Rapunzel is performed with wide-eyed innocence by Tilly-Mae Millbrook (who we noticed magnificently enjoying a number of characters within the Watermill’s socially distanced 2020 Christmas Carol) and her assembly with Patrizio within the Tower is fantastically performed to a comical romantic impact. Her well-known hair is moderately oddly depicted by thick inexperienced rope wrapped round her physique and a strand hanging from the ceiling and whereas this a sensible resolution to the climbing scenes it’s a pity the 2 weren’t related! Indeed, the theatricality of the answer turns into a operating gag with a big hook getting used to recoil the hair into the tower and acknowledged by the solid on stage with a “Cheers mate”! Emma Barclay (Touchstone within the Watermill’s wonderful outdoer manufacturing of As you prefer it) returns too as Pierluigi Ambrosi, as soon as once more displaying a very good comedian contact as she drifts in and in and out once more to the story. Jess Lobo makes a high quality skilled debut as Prezze one of many criminals, the one with a caring coronary heart, of Tuscany.

There are loads of visible gags and props and bodily comedy just like the David Attenborough e-book (with Patrizio doing a satisfactory impression of the Naturalist’s voice), wild boars operating riot and an enormous crown over the viewers. Director Lucy Betts and Designer Isobel Nicolson add a number of visible delights for the youngsters just like the butterflies fluttering across the stage, the Wonderland Court costumes and a magical disappearance underneath a big fabric. There is all the time one thing visually fascinating to catch your eye, not least the 2 stagehands who create the bizarre all-seeing plant. The viewers interplay can also be wonderful whether or not the botanist Gothel searching for herbs or Patrizio looking for help on how one can get Rapunzel to let down her hair and an enthralling younger lady on the balcony confidently explains the fitting phrases.

The music composed by Tom Attwood, as typical at The Watermill performed by the actor-musicians, are vigorous easy poppy tunes that are immediately enjoyable with out being memorable with rock guitar in “Herb picking” and beautiful saxophone and mandolin on “Ping Pong”. Occasionally the non-public mics had been introduced up too slowly. However, within the tiny auditorium of the Watermill, we might nonetheless catch the phrases and the present was successfully lit by Alex Musgrave.

The manufacturing runs till 1st January with primarily morning and afternoon matinees and deserves the help of the native faculty communities for a joyous outing at Christmas that like Pantomime itself will deliver a smile to all and hopefully encourage younger kids’s love of dwell efficiency. Certainly, the younger Princess within the row in entrance of me on her first correct theatre journey regarded spellbound all through and shared delight along with her dad and mom. And for an additional particular enjoyable household deal with there are Pyjama performances between twenty eighth December and 1st January with a pre-bookable sizzling chocolate and a biscuit on the interval. An ideal Family outing.

Review by Nick Wayne 

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Stalls, Row E | Price of Ticket: £26