Review by Gemma Keliher
Presented by Ballet Theatre Queensland, Snow White boasts of being the companies first full length ballet to feature both brand new choreography and score, in a combined effort by Choreographer Clare Morehen and Composer Lucas D. Lynch. Presenting a beloved fairytale can bring added pressures and expectations, but this production of Snow White certainly delivered across all areas. With impressive costumes, thoughtful staging, and many talented young dancers, this is a re-telling that is worth witnessing.
Though seemingly drawing from various versions of the classic tale, the narrative has been developed by Morehen and Lynch in a way that feels fresh for a contemporary audience and its young performers. We open with a prologue that shows us the fairytale life of the King, his wife, and their newborn child, set to a beautifully romantic score. Time passes and we see the bond between a young Snow White and her mother, before her untimely death. In his grief, the King searches for new wife before becoming quickly bewitched by the (soon to be) Evil Queen. This prologue is a welcome glimpse into Snow’s life before the Evil Queen and showcases the juxtaposition of the light before the darkness in the story that follows.
A young Snow White finds solace in her late mother’s book of fairytales and close friend, William, while the Queen’s dark magic and cruelty begins to take hold of the realm and intensify as the years pass. Once Snow White’s image replaces the Evil Queens in the magic mirror, she sends a Huntsman to kill Snow White and take her heart. Objecting to this, the King is killed by the Queen’s ghoulish henchman and William helps Snow White escape, leaving the empty-handed Huntsman to face the same fate as the King. Lost in the woods, fireflies lead Snow White to the house of seven Pixies, where she is welcomed. Disguised as an old crone, the Evil Queen succeeds in poisoning Snow White with an apple, until William brings her back to life with a kiss. In the final struggle to claim the throne, the Evil Queen tries to kill Snow White by pushing her into her magic mirror, only to fall in herself, and her defeat allowing Snow White to be crowned in front of a rejoicing Kingdom.
I was surprised with how dark the themes and theatrics went for a youth production, as aside from three guest performers all dancers were aged 8-17, yet it felt a truthful and welcome homage to the Grimm tale. Lynch’s score perfectly encapsulated the range of light and dark, with cinematic pieces that helped carry the emotions of the scenes while creating recognizable and fitting themes for characters. His work was brought to life by the impressive Cadenza Chamber Players, and further fueled by the appearance of the Voices of Birralee and incorporation of Wil Hughes sound design. Rebekah Ellis’s costumes were simply brilliant, from the colourfully lit fireflies, the recurring floral embellishments, and the dramatic and dark Evil Queen. Her designs were exquisite in the way they paid homage to traditional designs and fairytale elements, to feel both fresh and familiar, all while showcasing the choreography. Bill Haycock’s set, aided by Glenn Hughes lighting design, not only captured the fairytale style, but utilised space and levels to allow Morehen’s choreography to do the heavy lifting of storytelling. This allowed for some great moments of staging and performance by the dancers, such as the Queen’s militant people of the realm in synchronized sharp abstract movements, and the magical dark forest brought to life by a swirling ensemble.
For such young dancers to not only perform a full length ballet but do so with such skill and care was an impressive feat that showed dedication and stamina from the cast. In the leading roles, Sophia Gougoulas as the Evil Queen and Caitlin Volker as Snow White were standouts. Gougoulas gave an incredibly theatric performance years above her age, perfectly showcasing a tyrannical and darkly powerful Queen through every bold move, look, and hand gesture. Volker was every part the innocent and sweet princess, light and graceful on her feet, with a lovely stage presence. I would expect these two to be ones to watch. Also impressive for her age was Ivy Noonan as Young Snow White, who was a joy to watch. Lillian Richmond as Snow White’s Mother and Jayden Grogan as the King were a wonderful pairing, showcasing both good technique and characterization, and selling the story from the opening moments. Supporting Volker and Noonan’s Snow White’s, Jordan Lennon brought storybook charm to his role as William and Ravi Lyndon brought a playful energy as Young William. Chloe Thomas, Olivia Cabral Gomes, Indira O’Neill, Ima Sol Henriksen, Escher Kenzler, Chelsea Legge, and Mae Labagnara, as the seven pixies Peony, Lavendar, Marigold, Poppy, Canna Lily, Globe Thistle, and Cudweed, gave solid performances while demonstrating their defining qualities.
While it must have been a huge feat to produce a ballet with new choreography, score, set and costumes, the risk was worth the reward. The production was gripping and very entertaining, while demonstrating incredible attention to detail across all facets. This production of Snow White stands proudly on it’s own to delight both fairytale fans and newcomers alike. The innovation within this production showcases the creativity within Brisbane, as well as the talent. No doubt this production will be providing an inspiration to young people to begin their journey in ballet and the performing arts. Certainly, at the very least, an inspiration for companies to continue to play with their craft and produce exciting new works.
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