Review: THE SNOW QUEEN, Storyhouse Chester

The Snow Queen has landed in the Storyhouse, Chester just in time to get us all into the festive spirit. Based on the classic children’s tale written by Hans Christian Andersen, the story takes the audience on an adventure through the seasons and celebrates the power of family and friendship.

The story follows Cei, who has been taken by the icy clutches of the vain Snow Queen, who seeks an intelligent individual to fix her mirror. Cei’s faithful best friend Gerda takes it upon herself to rescue her friend by travelling through the seasons and meeting a range of different characters who help her on her way.

There are standout performances throughout this performance that are worth noting. Flo Wilson, who plays the role of Grandmother and Mrs Deer, introduces the story with powerful vocals that draw you in straight away. Will Kirk, as John/Daffodil/Fred/Robber, has such fantastic stage presence. He demands the audience’s attention and deservedly gets a good response, particularly during the summer scene. Sometimes, the acting seems to be a little overly enthusiastic, which makes the character seem a little unbelievable.

A five-piece band remains on stage for the entirety of the performance, and they are a vital part of the story telling. Led by musical director, Mared Williams, their instrumentals and backing vocals create an eerie atmosphere that really sets the mood of the story. It’s also hilarious to observe that the band have pieces of costume that they change into to fit the story as we transport through the different seasons. At times, the instrumentals are so loud and full on which is perfect for creating the tension in the story, but the dialogue occasionally gets lost.

Although the staging is fairly simple, it works effectively to tell the story. The main pieces of staging are two mountains that get transported around the stage to create new scenes. There is good use of lighting to support the transitioning of the seasons and there is a projection on the back of the stage which is used throughout to set the scene. There is slight use of choreography which seems to be quite simple and repetitive but does its job. The Storyhouse has been adapted for this performance so that the staging is in line with the circle. This has created a really intimate performance space whereby the audience feel really close to the action and the cast members interact with them in certain parts.

The Snow Queen is a light-hearted, fun escape that is bound to get the little ones into the festive spirit just in time for Christmas.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Vicky Humphreys

The Snow Queen plays at Storyhouse until 15 January 2023, with tickets available here.