The Worst Witch
Adapted from Jill Murphy’s original books by Emma Reeves with music by Luke Potter
Tower Theatre
Directed by Ruth Sullivan
Star rating 4
When Jill Murphy’s first book about an academy for witches was published in 1974, my children were aged two and minus two. JK Rowling was nine. No wonder these books featured prominently in our household and, presumably, in hers where the germ of an idea must have been forming. Emma Reeves’s sparky adaptation enjoys a bit of amiable sideswiping to the effect that these engaging books came long before the first Harry Potter title in 1997.
And it’s in good hands with Ruth Sullivan and her fine cast of eleven along with a live five piece band, led, at the performance I saw, by Adam Pennington.
Of course Hecate Hardbroom is a gift of a part and Janet South does it beautifully. She looks cross and unsmiling and exudes chilly authority until she is finally led by events to thaw a little. And what a well observed stereotype that is: The warm, slightly dappy headmistress (Miranda Cheeseman) all sweetness and light while her fearsome deputy actually runs the place and does the dirty work. Cheeseman gives us a fine performance too especially when she has to double as her dastardly twin sister – cue for lots of wigs and rather neat video work to present them together.
The new kid on the block at Miss Cackle’s Academy is Mildred Hubble in whom, as required in all the best school stories, Laura Fleming finds delightful naivety, decency and ultimately the strength to triumph. It’s a strong performance and, like, the other five “girls” in this production she’s satisfactorily convincing as an adult playing a child.
The really outstanding work, however, comes from Abi Cody as the sneering, bitchy Ethel Hallow. She never stops being visibly disdainful even when she’s singing or dancing. It’s a wonderfully sustained piece of work with engaging head twitches and knowing looks at the audience. She even morphs into a snail. Cody is a secondary school drama teacher. I hope her students have been to see her in action because this is exactly what teachers should be doing: ably demonstrating, in their own lives, the skills they teach,
Luke Potter’s music ranges over lots of styles and genres. “These boots are made for witching” with angel voice oohs, rhythmic clicks and oom-pah accompaniment is fun, for example.
At one point in the chanting lesson the singing is meant to be dire as part of the narrative. It isn’t. however, always quite in tune in some of the ensemble numbers even when it’s meant to be. But I doubt that any of the delighted young audience members, many clad in colourful witchy costumes for their trip to the theatre, noticed. And the children were thrilled to be invited on stage to help with the action at the end so it was resounding, rather moving, end to a piece I thought was slightly too long but it seemed to hold the attention of the little people it was meant for.
As an adult I enjoyed the affectionate teasing of theatrical convention too. At one point Mildred’s tabby cat is pulled apart at which the audience gasps in horror. “Oh for goodness sake! It’s a puppet!” snaps Miranda Cheesman’s character at the audience. “Look – she’s been there all along!” she adds pointing to puppeteer Trinidad Prieto. It’s a witty moment.
In short this was as good a piece of community theatre as I’ve seen in a while and perfect for half term.
