As the theatre filled with hoards of Disney fans both young and old, the Northern lights glimmered and shone over Arendelle. Whilst the temperatures soared outside and somewhat inside the theatre it was clear that a Frozen spectacle was in store for the eagerly awaiting audience.
We doubt that you will need a reminder of the plot of this famous story but in brief the stage musical, like the box office smash film, follows the plight of Princess sisters Anna and Elsa. Isolated by her uncontrollable ice powers, the newly crowned Queen Elsa flees into the mountains, trapping Arendelle in perpetual winter. Her optimistic sister, Anna, sets out to find her. Accompanied by iceman Kristoff and snowman Olaf, Anna learns that only an act of true love can break the curse and save her.
TheatreTrain’s production of Frozen featured ensemble characters in many different roles throughout and it is clear that each and everyone of the cast had worked hard to portray the different characters ranging from villagers to mysterious hidden folk, from ice and snow to Oaken’s Sauna loving family! It was so pleasing to see such commitment to the dance routines and focused acting throughout the performance from all of the supporting cast – well done!
In respect of the leading roles we were first greeted by young Anna and Elsa, Elsie-Marie Moody and Ffion Gibson respectively. Who both gave energetic performances full of fizz and vim. What a great partnership with chirpy vocals and zippy dialogue to start our introduction to this well known tale.
Following Elsa’s first accidental magical strike of Anna (whilst they create a certain well-known Snowman), we meet Pabbie; well performed by Poppy Mannix who was suitably mystical and partnered with Bulda played by Macy Head, together embodied the ancient wisdom of the mountain folk. We were also introduced to the children’s doomed parents Queen Iduna, Emily Ainsworth and King Agnarr, Arlo Marsh who conveyed both caring and frightened characters, fearing Elsa’s magical potential.
Aided by the LED screen and partnered with some clever choral and choreographic movement, the children’s parents perish. The story is then driven at whirlwind pace through a series of tricky events and challenges that both of the sisters must overcome, learning about the world outside the gates of the castle and their own personalities and characters.
From her rendition of Anna’s first song, ‘For the first time in forever’, Charlotte Jenkins gave a truly authentic performance of one of Disney’s most loved heroines. She was every bit Anna and more! She showed us just how ‘triple-threat’ she was by showcasing stunning vocals, brilliant characterisation and strong dance.
Sharing the duet was her troubled but powerful sister Elsa, Lilly Valvona. Lilly’s powerful and emotive singing was well-matched with her restrained acting. Having heard the song ‘Let it Go’ butchered by many lesser artists, Lilly delivered this showstopper with aplomb and made playing such an iconic role look easy! It’s true to say that the enjoyment of this musical, whether here on the island or indeed in the West End, relies on the strength of these two roles. Thankfully for the adoring fans of these much loved characters, both Lilly and Charlotte pleasingly delivered in bucket loads. A personal favourite of ours was the emotive and passionate power duet of ‘I can’t lose you!’.
Anna learns more about herself in relation to her interactions with other key individuals. Hans was first to make an impression on this princess and Lydia Jones does a sterling job in pacing out the revelation of the Prince’s true desires for power and the throne of Arendelle. In addition to the hidden overtones of Hans, the downright dastardly Duke of Weselton is characterfully played by Mason Goldring giving a performance with suitable pomp and disdain.
As we followed Anna on her perilous journey to find her sister, we met three important characters; Kristoff played by Roscoe Lloyd, Hayden Stanford as the lovable Sven and Harriet Jenkins, embodying the family favourite, Olaf. The ‘Funky’ ‘What do you know about love’ shows the burgeoning relationship between Anna and Kristoff. Roscoe gave a memorable performance in this number and again in ‘Fixer Upper’. Harriet Jenkins, as the loveable Olaf, skillfully managed to bring her sidekick to life and provide good comic timing for many of the magical snowman’s memorable lines. Hayden brought everyone’s favourite Disney reindeer to the stage with many of the classic quizzical looks and movements expected of Kristoff’s furry friend.
As the intrepid troupe continued on their adventure, they visited the eccentric but lovable Oaken. Millie Seal gave her all as the burly mountain merchant in the wildly energetic and entertaining ‘Hygge’. This song was ably supported by clever spacing, movement and lots of fun choreography.
Technically, the LED screen was used to great effect to set scenes and enable transitions with visuals. The lovely use of the snowflake machine to provide a dusting of snow following the coming of Elsa’s winter and transformation also added a bit of extra magic to the Medina stage. Not to provide any spoilers, Elsa’s transformation was slick and well received by a joyful audience.
The finale of ‘Let it go’ in unison with the whole cast was a fitting testament to the level of teamwork that has gone into this production. From lead roles, to ensemble, to the backstage crew and creatives, all have clearly pulled together to bring this iconic tale to life in a wonderfully warm and genuine production.