Could this all just be a transposition of Humperdinck’s take on the popular Grimm and grisly tale of the witch in the wood to Margaret Thatcher’s removal of free school milk as education minister in 1971? I think so.
Director and designer Richard Studer uses the “milk snatcher” slogan from that era and places the story in a rust belt post heavy industrial setting. Sadly for the analogy, Thatcher then went on to become Prime Minister with three consecutive terms in office. The milk measure had no detrimental effect and as PM she also opposed much more draconian money-saving measure of removing free milk from younger children. But, hey, let’s not let facts get in the way.
Rebecca Afonwy-Jones and Philip Smith
So, we have the glorious Rebecca Afonwy-Jones’s as the Witch looking like Mrs Thatcher (and kissing a photo of Winston Churchill), the father some sort of redundant worker now living on odd jobs, splendidly sung by Philip Smith, and the wife some sort of depressed housewife who keeps a can of beer in the cooker and, as a not very good mother, is also the witch.
The conventional Witch’s oven is replaced by a huge mincing-machine into which the Witch plonks feet and hands and then the heat cooks them into her favourite food. The turning of the tables with the children tricking the Witch to lean over the contraption so they can push her in is a little bit of a let-down.
The children, Alys Mererid Roberts as Gretel and Charlotte Badham as Hänsel, above, aren’t exactly starving waifs as they watch the tv until it is repossessed, read Jackie magazine, play with their Airfix model and Barbie doll.
They are prefect in their roles, both dramatically convincing and vocally complement one another as brother and sister. Their dance choreography is gorgeous.
Rebecca Afonwy-Jones
Beca Davies and Siân Roberts as Sandman and Dew Fairy are charming in their roles with the chorus of Beca Davies, Erin Fflur, Sian Robert and Rachel Moras supplemented by a local children’s chorus, Madison Grundy, Steffany-Moreno-Belskaya, Simran Varanasi and Alexandra Watkins, completing a delightful line up.
It was also great to hear Jonathan Lyness conducting a larger body of musicians than usual for a MWO small venue touring production, with the excellent Ensemble Cymru.
I am sure audiences at Wales Millennium Centre for WNO’s latest Mozart turkey would have far preferred this clever and beautifully perfomed show.
Photos by Matthew Williams Ellis