Review: The Snow Queen

Even though I had been allowed – sort of – a sneak preview of the set of The Snow Queen, I was still taken aback by its sheer beauty when I got to see the show.

The artist who created it, Su Blackwell, is used to working in miniatures, literally cutting a scene out of a book with scissors and creating a mini 3-d set. So it was a risk – and one well worth taking as it turns out – to ask her to create something that would magnify up to a stage set. The creative vision of the Rose’s Artistic Director Stephen Unwin and the play’s Director Natascha Metherell– and Su’s undoubted skills –saw Su’s work translate magnificently to the massive scale of the theatrical stage.Once you have got over the beauty of the stage you will be struck by the very malign forces of The Snow Queen herself. She makes her first appearance high above the stage. Her beauty and coldness are truly sinister and a perfect counterpoint to the warm happiness and innocence of the children playing beneath her. Soon we focus on Kai and Gerda our two little heroes. The evil queen captures Kai and turns his heart to ice. To save him, Gerda must make an epic journey through the season to find winter and the palace of The Snow Queen. It is a journey brilliantly told, with comedy, dance, music and song. The story cracks along as we urge Gerda to hurry to her destiny and save Kai, its natural momentum and the rhythms of the language and the changing seasons providing a real sense of journey and adventure

Whilst the children in the audience were spellbound by the story and its exposition, the adults in our party were utterly captured and entranced. I am ashamed to say that some of us booed the horrid queen when she came on for her curtain call – and were told by the kids to shut up.

Fabulous family entertainment – but also perfect if you fancy a little magic this Christmas.

The Snow Queen runs till 8 January at the Rose Theatre, Kingston; 0844 821556; www.rosetheatrekingston.org

Sarah Hodgson is a regular at local theatres, and Editor-in-Chief at Time & Leisure Media Group.