Opera Review: Hansel and Gretel at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK, the German composer whose name was borrowed by the popular singer, composed his best-known work in the early 1890s.

Witch and Gretel

Alasdair Elliott and Susanna Hurrell as Witch and Gretel (Image: Johan Persson)

Based on a fairy tale by the brothers Grimm, it falls somewhere between an opera and a pantomime and this new production by the English National Opera and Regent's Park Theatre, gloriously emphasises the panto aspect.

With the audience at the mercy of the weather, Regent's Park always does its best to make its productions fun and this new version directed by Timothy Sheader with an English libretto translated by David Pountney truly does the trick.

Fortunately, the evening sun was shining when I saw it, but even a downpour would not have damaged my enjoyment.

We all know the story: Hansel and Gretel are brother and sister, sent off into the woods to gather berries for their starving family. They are enticed into a gingerbread cottage by a wicked witch who plans to fatten them up and cook them. They escape, of course, killing the witch and bringing back to life her earlier child victims.

Rosie Aldridge and Duncan Rock

Rosie Aldridge and Duncan Rock play Mother and Father (Image: Johan Persson)

Rachel Kelly and Susanna sang the roles of Hansel and Gretel in fine style, acting the childish roles with mischievous enthusiasm, but the real comic star of the piece was Alasdair Elliott as the witch, appearing first in a dress and luxurious blonde wig, but later revealing himself as a bald male, which I suppose makes him a warlock rather than a witch.

The most impressive singing, however, came from baritone Duncan Rock, whose performances at ENO and elsewhere have shown great versatility from comic roles to serious grand opera.

Here he played the children's rather drunken father, singing with great power and perfect enunciation (in his usual Australian accent) of the words. He and Rosie Aldridge, who played the children's mother, have parts that are only peripheral to the main story, but they both added well to the jollity.

The choruses from Pimlico Children's Choir and Foundation Choir also added to the pantomime atmosphere.

Rachel Kelly and Susanna Hurrell

Rachel Kelly and Susanna Hurrell as Hansel and Gretel (Image: Johan Persson)

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of this production came when after sandman has ensured a good night's sleep and pleasant dreams for the children by sprinkling their eyes with magic dust. This is followed by a musical interlude which is usually filled onstage by a fairy-tale inspired dance. Regent's Park instead surprises us with a procession of flight attendants who perform a version of the usual safety demonstration all choreographed in time with the music.

Hansel and Gretel are clearly modern children dreaming of an overseas holiday instead of fairy tales. The effect is delightfully incongruous. Midsummer may seem an odd time for a pantomime, but this production really works.

Tickets: openairtheatre.com or 0333 400 3562 (performances continue until June 22). 

Main roles are taken by an alternative cast on alternate performances.

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