A phenomenal adaptation of the much-loved classic. Incredible character acting, beautiful design, comedic brilliance, and a distinct Scottish flavour. A must-see for Edinburgh folk!
In the days before I saw The Snow Queen, I tried to work out what to expect from this brand-new production. A dark, gothic adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic? A family-friendly Frozen-esque musical experience? The chillingly artistic poster design suggested the former, but the hordes of ballgown-clad children clutching pink unicorn toys waiting excitedly in the audience, the latter. As the show began, an eerie folk chorus of male voices also felt reminiscent of Frozen.
The production, adapted by Morna Young, directed by Cora Bisset, and intended to have a distinctly Scottish flavour, is set in Victorian Edinburgh. It tells the story of best friends Kei and Gerda, and the good Goddess of Winter turned evil Snow Queen, who is on a quest to defeat the Goddess of Spring and bring eternal winter. To do so, she must find and vanquish the five humans that hold the seeds of spring. Believing Kei is one of these carriers, The Snow Queen captures him, prompting Gerda to race to his, and the world’s, rescue.
The cast as a collective, were fantastic. Many actors played multiple roles throughout the show, beautifully fleshing out the story world, and bringing a never-ending stream of entertainment through a variety of kooky personalities. The transitions were seamless, and every actor felt perfectly cast for each role that they took on.
Standout performances came from Richard Conlon as Hamish the Unicorn, a hilariously flamboyant pink “horny horse” who appeared halfway through the story and brought with him the show’s biggest earworm (“He’s a Horse with a Horn”) and some of the best one-liners. Naomi Stirrat, who was memorable as Senga, an unhinged yet very amusing fighting expert that Gerda encounters on her way. And Samuel Pashby’s Corby, a bashful crow with split loyalties between The Snow Queen and Gerda, is also great. His physical comedy and spot-on birdlike mannerisms are subtle brilliance. Plus Wendy Seager and Antony Strachan are hilariously realistic and wonderfully endearing as Kei and Gerda’s respective grandparents.
L-R: Samuel Pashby as Corby, Richard Conlon as Hamish the Unicorn, and Rosie Graham as Gerda. Costume and set design by Emily James. Image by Jess Shurte.
It is also necessary to commend Emily James’ stunning costume and set design. The sets were consistently visually beautiful, and spectacularly brought to life Victorian Edinburgh, complete with prop versions of Edinburgh Castle, and the fountain of Princes Street Gardens. A plethora of props were creatively used to immerse the audience in the rest of the depicted locations, including confetti and a smoke machine which perfectly simulated the snowstorms of Northern Scotland in winter. The costuming was equally gorgeous, and instrumental in the characterisation of each character.
The cast of The Snow Queen at The Royal Lyceum Theatre. Costume and set design by Emily James. Image by Jess Shurte.
While undeniably fun and playful, I’m not so sure that this was the kids production that many expected it to be. It would depend on the age and maturity level of the child, and the discretion of the parents. There was a LOT of innuendo, potentially scary moments, explicit acting-out of torture, and an entire song revolving around the line “he’s a horse with a horn.”
Claire Dargo as The Snow Queen. Costume and set design by Emily James. Image by Jess Shurte.
It is difficult to say whether this adaptation of The Snow Queen could have a life outside of Scotland. The superb acting, fantastic original music, brilliant writing, and fabulous costume and set design could all more than hold their own on the West End, however I felt that many of the jokes and references present throughout rely heavily on there being a Scottish audience. Every character also spoke in a thick accent, with constant use of Scots language and slang, which may make the story difficult to follow for people from elsewhere. You could hear a few non-Scots in the audience expressing confusion at moments that prompted uproarious laughter and struggling to understand parts of the dialogue. But to erase these things would be to erase the very essence of the show.
Overall, The Snow Queen was a brilliant and thoroughly entertaining production and is an absolute must-see for all Edinburgh folk this Christmas!