‘Little Women’ review
‘Little Women continues the strong start made in college theatre this term… a worthy adaptation of a classic coming-of-age’
Little Women (adapted by Peter Clapham) adapts the first volume of the classic American novel by Louisa May Alcott. Chronicling a year in the life of the March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth and May - from one Christmas to the next, the play takes us through the ups and downs of growing up in mid-nineteenth century Massachusetts.
Director Ellie Cumbley (assisted by Ella Rose Brannen and Gabriella Whittley) must be commended on the use of dynamic and varied blocking to inject energy that all too often gets ignored in classic book adaptations to stage, while maintaining a period appropriate atmosphere. From entering the theatre, it feels like walking onto a window into the March’s front room and credit must be given to the set designer Joanna Bergmann and assistant set designers Joslyn Lo and Lily Arda, who conjure it from a fireplace, an armchair, a desk, a couch, and a table also placed about the stage in a way that feels genuinely lived in without being extravagant, subtly implying the hard times that the family has fallen on.
From the very opening scene, the March sisters immediately capture your attention with the actors playing them allowing their personalities to play-off each other naturally. Meg, the eldest sister, played by Bea Pescott, often acts as a teacher to her younger sisters and Pescott plays the role with suitable confidence and firmness in her delivery. She often disagrees with Jo, played by Clara Springman, who is a rambunctious tomboy, asserting she is “the man of the house” now her father is away to fight the Civil War, with a passion for writing. Springman’s Jo plays bursts with energy. She jumps around the stage, reciting poetry and making sarcastic comments, brimming with expression, and taking to the centre of the action. Her ‘un-ladylike’ behaviour often clashes with that of the youngest sister, Amy (played by Emily Riddleston), who is proud of her looks. Riddleston carefully balances the performance of a character who might have come off of just vain and shrill with the warmth they bring to the character in the moments of joy the sisters share. Beth, played by Eloise Robinson, is the shyest sister who is adored for her music playing. Robinson embodies Beth’s delicacy and slightness in performance, even if at times this sacrifices how effectively they project dialogue. I was also impressed by the live piano performances given by Robinson, not a small feat, which add authenticity to her characterisation.
The girls are looked after by their mother Margret “Marmee” March, played by Francseca Hallet. Hallet portrays Marmee with a strong and mature composure, the testing of which is deftly depicted over the course of the play. After going to a dance, Meg and Jo befriend “boy-next-door” Theodore “Laurie” Laurence and his tutor John Brooke, played by Jack Guilfoyle and Albert Malone respectively. Guilfoyle’s awkwardness is delightfully charming without coming off as manufactured. The scenes he shares with Springman perfectly encapsulate the friendship dynamic between their characters, who bounce-off of each other smoothly, exchanging both jokes and candid opinion with equal ease. The muted courtship between Meg and the fumbling and bookish Brooke is subtly played out by their respective actors, whose glances are filled with an intimate warmth which carries across the room.
These relationships play against a brilliant supporting cast. A particular stand out is Molly Cowell’s Hannah whose warm-hearted nature is conveyed through her reactions to the drama that plays out. Abby Clay also plays an amusingly judgemental Aunt March; it is clear she wants the best for her relatives, but can’t help but disapprove of the unconventional family. Though they are not on stage for long, the good humour and benevolence of Callum Ryan’s Mr Laurence, and the love for his daughters of Mr March, played by Arthur Hamilton, both shine through in every moment they are.
Over the course of the play, emotional tensions rise and here Springman and Riddleston display strong command of their emotional range, with anger and spite rising to a boil naturally. Pescott convincingly holds a calming and comforting presence.
The technical side of the production, over seen by production managers, Isabella Broxis, Josh Greenwood and Soumaya Belaggoune, is executed competently, however, it feels like there is level of polish that is left to be desired. The lighting, by supervisor Alex McClamont, effectively paints the nostalgic childhood environment of the March home in warm tones, and even if there are a few roughly paced of transitions between states, it clear that the design complements the mood of the scenes. Stage managers, and APMs, Bianca Barbour and Priya Saud, conduct scene transitions that bridge long gaps of time with coordination and speed. If there is area that could see the greatest improvement it would be the sound design, the storytelling potential of which is not fully realised, especially where the use of soundscape and music could have been used to convey the passage of time.
The costume design by Constance Donald, assisted by Noelle Nunes, was impressive. The personality and positions of the characters were excellently conveyed, from Jo’s puffy-sleeved shirts hinting at her more masculine personality and active life-style to the widow’s black hoop skirt of Aunt March.
As a whole, Little Women continues the strong start made in college theatre this term. The creatives, cast and crew behind the show have produced a worthy stage adaptation of a classic coming-of-age. I can confidently recommend this show to anyone who wants to see a show that is not only entertaining, but also a faithful insight into historical adolescence.
By Hamish Campbell.
Little Women is showing Monday 11th, and Tuesday 12th November at 19:00 in the Mount Oswald Hub.