Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Sarah Ingram, Fox Jackson-Keen, Karen Mann, Sioned Saunders, Kieran Urquhart, Elexi Walker, Justin Wilman.
There have been so few writers as popular that have written for children who also made an adult crave the attention of the power of the imagination and all its beautiful trappings and escapism as that of Roald Dahl, that no matter your age or disposition, it is arguably impossible to turn your head away from the innocence on offer and the underlying tones of rebellion, adventure and childish revolt that go hand in hand across the works of the Welsh born writer.
It is the rebellion against slavish adulthood that makes Roald Dahl so fascinating a read at any age, a true box of delights that enrapture and hone the appreciation of reading and one that within its heart, his story of The Witches is a true and outstanding gem.
It is a gem that has been lovingly captured by Nikolai Foster and his cast at the Everyman Theatre with great passion and seemingly extraordinary love.
The story of one boy who dared take on the Grand High Witch, even when he had been turned into a mouse, is one that surprisingly hasn’t transferred across to the stage despite being a very enjoyable film starring Angelica Houston and Rowan Atkinson. Yet as audiences as fans of the man’s work celebrate the noted writer’s centenary year, The Witches is a play that crosses the fluid boundary between page and stage with relative ease, especially when in the hands of a cast who relish in the detail with such exuberance and quite obvious joy.
Nikolai Foster brings his own imagination to the stage and allows the subtleness of the story to transcend beyond that of a story for children and by keeping in time with the heartbeat of Roald Dahl and his rousing call to arms, The Witches is a finely delivered and keenly appreciated production.
With Sarah Ingram capturing the essence of evil with a sheer glint in her eye and Fox Jackson-Keen portraying her adversary and hero of the story Boy with rousing ability, the audience were kept interested and absorbed at all times by the running duel between boy and witch.
The Witches is a timeless piece written by a genius for entertaining both children and adult alike, this production under the careful gaze of Nikolai Foster frames everything that is good about Roald Dahl’s work and gives it fresh and captivating appeal. A work so deserving of the great man.
Ian D. Hall