REVIEW: The Forest Grimm

I must confess that when I first sat down to write this review, I thought I would try to write it in verse. Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of anything that rhymed with Wolf, so I was soon forced to stop. What a shame… *sigh*

I also have to confess that upon arriving at the Clare Cellars I had my doubts about the chosen venue. However, I need not have worried, as the cast of Clare’s Freshers’ Play, The Forest Grimm, made inventive use of what I had initially considered a limited space, to produce an amusing and imaginative rendition of three of the Grimm Brothers’ famous fairy-tales.

Luke Dell. Luke Dell is. (Image Credit: Clare Freshers’ Play)

The play was opened by Tom Ashton as the brash and menacing Wolf, who prowled amongst the audience, giving an outstanding, slightly frightening, performance. Out of the whole cast, he made the best use of the theatre space, dominating the stage. He also skillfully managed to recite his poetic dialogue in a way that strongly captivated and engaged the audience.

We were then introduced to Olivia Brett and Hannah Grain as the lost and anxious brother and sister duo, Hansel and Gretel, as well as Jonah Surkes and Helen Llambias-Maw, who succeeded in constructing a realistic romantic dynamic between the Prince and Rapunzel. Atreyi Chakrabarty’s performance as the innocent and naïve Little Red Cap was refreshing, with Lauren Perry and Lydia Sabatini acting as the perfect contrast to this in their roles as the play’s two wicked witches.

The talented fresher team. (Image Credit: Josh Cleary)

Credit must also go to the show’s director, Josh Cleary. His decision to litter the minimal props needed to tell the story amongst the audience was ingenious and his full use of the venue’s space was something that more directors should aspire to. Getting the actors to interact with the audience was also a rejuvenating twist: subtle, but constructive, in helping to bring the audience into the play’s action, literally, as we became the trees of the forest through which the various characters made their way on their journey through the play.

The lighting and sound, managed by Anna Jennings, were also an effective means of building the play’s atmosphere, and the claustrophobic nature of the venue added to the play’s immersive sense of confinement, as if we too were lost in the woods. However, unfortunately, this illusion was occasionally broken by the acoustics of the venue, which meant that some of the line delivery was drowned out by the distracting noise from the adjacent bar.

The Forest Grimm offers a fresh take on classic fairy tale characters. (Image Credit: Clare Freshers’ Play)

One of the most intriguing aspects of the play was the way in which it seamlessly intertwined three of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales into one coherent and logical plot, twisting the classic endings in the process but still managing to end up with a ‘Happily Ever After’. The use of verse throughout the play also helped to carry the audience through the various tales in a light-hearted and fitting manner.

Overall, The Forest Grimm was a short but excellent piece of immersive theatre that was enjoyable and amusing. It’s just a shame I couldn’t find a word that rhymed with Wolf…

4/5 stars