Review: Red, Chickenshed 

Year on year Chickenshed prove they are the unrivalled masters of the reimagined fairytale. This year’s Red by Dave Carey, Ashley Driver and Sebastian Ross transforms the story of Little Red Riding Hood into a whole new tale – and it’s brilliant, with traditional characters used in new ways to create a dynamic, musically exciting, visually captivating family musical.  

Mildred, or Red, is sent with her siblings to stay with Grandma in the remote village of Vargheim, which is plagued by a terrifying wolf. A backstory tells of the Lost Amulets of Time, which must be reunited to once again make the village safe, and Red is tasked with finding the final one. Little does she know the real enemy is frighteningly close to home… 

With so many Chickenshed members to put on stage, the cast rotates. Today it’s Purple Rota playing alongside a core team of professionals. Jemima Hurndall as Red, Will Grey as brother Sam and pocket rocket Poppi Cockburn as little sister Alex deliver some tremendous performances, with laughs coming in the shape of Driver as the Woodsman. There’s some fabulous upstaging by the hilarious Sebastian Ross as Chester, and Michael Bossisse’s Wolf lends a considered balance of menace and tenderness to a misunderstood character. There’s no misunderstanding Grandma however, who is evil through and through. Cara McInanny delivers a dazzling performance as the perfect baddie, with a superb voice that will stop you in your tracks. And we shouldn’t forget the excellent team of signers who slickly interpret the entire show in parallel. 

With a cast of 200 children and all sorts of special needs to accommodate, the stage is packed. You might expect they’d be tripping over each other moving between scenes, but tight direction (Bethany Hamlin, Jonny Morton, McInanny and Bossisse) and intricate, impressive choreography ensure everything flows seamlessly. The ensemble are a huge contribution to the production, hitting the harmonies with flair, accentuating the emotional story through movement and exuding a vibrant energy. 

The music (Dave Carey, Phil Haines, McInanny, Áine Smith) is beautifully varied throughout, with a couple of pieces being particularly outstanding. Closing the first act, ‘Born Evil’ is an absolute showstopper and McInanny brings the house down with her exceptional performance. Then ‘Rup Dup Dah’ is an earworm that you will take home, like it or not! 

And what sorcery is this from set and lighting designer Andrew Caddies? His enormously ambitious set is phenomenal – some West End shows would kill for less! Endlessly flexible, it shifts seamlessly to reveal magical locations and new spaces. It’s supplemented by epic projections that give a haunting, folkloric atmosphere, and the stunning lighting design works brilliantly alongside it, disguising set changes to move effortlessly between scenes. I have never known a lighting state have its own round of applause before, but tonight one was entirely deserved, with the audience gaping open-mouthed in wonder! 

Not everything is totally perfect. The Wolf’s uncomfortable leg extensions don’t add much to his character. There are also moments where performers aren’t mic’d so it’s difficult to hear them, and occasionally a few bum notes are sung. But given the complexity of the piece and the mix of such young performers alongside the pros, these don’t detract from an otherwise magnificent show.  

The production finishes in an uplifting spirit of celebration; a message of looking inside to find your best self and knowing that together we’re capable of great things. With so many happy youngsters clearly transformed by their joyful experience, both onstage and in the audience, this spectacular show is a wonderful affirmation of the Chickenshed tagline – “Theatre Changing Lives”. 

Devised by: Chickenshed
Directors: Bethany Hamlin, Cara McInanny, Jonny Morton and Michael Bossisse
Musical Directors: Dave Carey and Phil Haines
Set and Lighting Designer: Andrew Caddies
Sound Designer: Phil Haines
Costume Designer: Emma Gale
Writers: Dave Carey, Ashley Driver and Sebastian Ross
Music by: Dave Carey, Phil Haines, Cara McInanny and Áine Smith
Sign Language Translator: Jay Thomas-Morton
Sign Language Director: Georgie Jacobs

Red is aimed at ages 5+ and plays at Chickenshed until Wednesday 10 January.