My second visit to the Altrincham Garrick Theatre, the last time was for the inspiring and female character driven production ‘Clouds' by Time And Again Theatre Company, I’m happy to be back reviewing another production with two strong females leads, ‘Edith In The Dark'.
A Lovely theatre with friendly helpful staff and a great car park facility within the grounds, it felt safe getting back to my car after a production.
‘Edith In The Dark’ written by Philip Meeks is brought to life by director Celia Bonner, the strong cast of three ( Kathryn Fennel, Peter Brassington and Melanie Davy) characters act out several of Edith Nesbit's earlier and more gruesome stories as a form of entertainment on Christmas Eve.
I was intrigued to learn that the beloved children’s author of classics ‘The Railway Children’ and ‘The Phoenix And The Carpet’ Edith Nesbit, had a contrasting taste for the dark, romantic and phantasmagorical. I was hooked by the story, writing and further delighted by the acting talents that brought Edith’s stories to life with their dramatic reenactments.
The action of the play takes place Christmas Eve in Edith Nesbit’s attic study, she’s followed by a fan of her children’s works a Mr. Guasto and her trusty Yorkshire-bred housekeeper Biddy Thricefold. Edith finds herself attracted to the impeccably dressed Mr. Guasto and attempts to excite him by giving a reading of earlier works, at this point the titles of the stories are announced with a pacey electronic guitar riff playing as background, I found the sound jarring with the periodic piece and it unfortunately took me slightly out of the Victorian world of Christmas and otherworldliness that I had been enjoying.
The cast of three were very talented at bringing different characters to life with use of accents and physicality:
Kathryn Fennell plays Edith Nesbit, commanding the stage with grace and confidence, a high status character she sets her eyes on young Mr. Guasto, manoeuvering herself closer to him. Edith is in her element as she makes Mr. Guasto squirm in fear with her stories, which makes her altered state at the end of act one all the more enjoyable!
Peter Brassington as Mr. Guasto was superb at changing his demeanor on stage, from a bashful young gentleman, gushing over his childhood hero to a tall menacing presence like a nightmarish shadow. His complicity in play with Davy was evident during the story of the two young women fighting over a potential suitor.
Melanie Davy as Biddy Thricefold was a stand out performance, a comedic character with an entertaining rhythm to her speech, her comedic timing and physicality made the audience laugh out loud throughout the show. Davy's ability to hold tension in her movements are very strong and made her a strong presence on stage.
Set designer Paul Simpson has created the feeling of a cluttered attic that easily transforms into spooky outdoor spaces with use of giant looming plants and large cases that double as set and boogies. The audience giggled at the death of several characters as they were devoured by static plants.
I would recommend this show to all fans of classic children's stories, Christmas and the phantasmagorical. Seasonal and enjoyable, a must-see show.
Reviewer - Kerry Ely
on - 3/12/19
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