October 2009: Fairy Tales on Stage Part 2

Once again, a mix of interesting productions of fairy tales around the world. This is not exhaustive, but representative of some of the more interesting productions.

CBT's 'Snow White' is in black and white

With the company’s opening shows this weekend, the contrast will be represented with “Snow White: An Unlikely Tale of Lasting Love and Friendship,” designed for afternoon performances, and “Mirror Mirror: A Wicked Take on the Classic Snow White,” the evening fare.

North Carolina Dance Theatre choreographer Mark Diamond says his “Snow White” is a family friendly take he originated for his Charlotte audiences. “It is the basic fairy tale what we’re used to,” says Diamond, who sprinkled his traditional version with lots of laughter and color – in two acts.

Justo’s choreography sets the tale – “Mirror Mirror” – in the highly competitive modern-day fashion industry (think “The Devil Wears Prada”). It’s a story that takes the audience into the mind of the wicked, narcissistic queen.

Children's theatre: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Wimbledon

Polka Theatre will be turned into fairy tale central from Wednesday as they perform a new multi-sensory reworking of the classic story, Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

The venues adventure theatre space is to be magically transformed with leaves growing up from the floor and a stove glowing quietly in the corner, with lots of different sized houses for children to peer into.

With lots of exciting and familiar smells for audiences to enjoy, from damp leaves in the forest to the aroma of actual porridge being cooked, the show is a treat for all the senses and is particularly suitable for visually impaired children.

There will also be two versions of the show, the standard one for children between three and five and other special performances for toddlers between one and two years-old which will be shorter in length and much more tactile.

Theatre: Once Upon a Fairy Tale at Colour House Theatre, Colliers Wood

Disaster has struck in fairy tale land. The characters have escaped and if they don't return to their books by midnight they will be lost forever!

"It's a modern fairy tale about a little boy called Billy who wants to spend all his time on his computer and not read any books," says the company's owner and producer of the show Laura Page, who also stars in it alongside Orla Mullan and Craig Gordan.

"His mum sends him to his room and he knocks the bookshelf over and all the characters escape.

"The fairy godmother then comes to him and tells him he has to get them all back by midnight or the books will be erased from the shelves.

"He gives in and travels with her to fairy tale land and meets lots of the characters and tries to get them back."

Thursday in Vancouver: Fallen Princesses

They are fairy-tale princesses like you’ve never seen before: Snow White is juggling two babies while her Prince Charming watches television - or Rapunzel sitting forlornly in a hospital room with her long blond wig lying desolate in her lap. Dina Goldstein pokes fun at our love affair with Disney's princesses in Fallen Princesses – poor ladies, it looks like the fairy godmother just up and ditched you… Fallen Princesses at the Buschlen Mowatt Gallery opens tonight (Thursday, October 22) More on Fallen Princesses here.

The Olde World Theatre's Hansel and Gretel

The production also features thunder and lightning, dancing skeletons, atmospheric use of a black light and a general nod in the direction of Halloween by which audience members are encouraged to arrive in costume. Beneath the cottage-industry SFX is the essential tale of two kiddies lost in the woods, which Steine has expanded to include a back-story, plus a focus on family values and a “green” sensitivity about the balance of nature. Lest anyone think Steine’s gone soft on his penchant for tongue-in-cheek humor, he comes through himself in the original role of Baron von Lumber (aka Herr Schnitzel), and there are comic fillips in the script that recall the fun of PeeWee’s Playhouse.