Review: THE SNOWFLAKE, Birmingham REP
Photo credit: Ellie Kurttz
This winter, The REP in Birmingham brings to life an adaptation of magical Christmas story The Snowflake, written by Benji Davies. This wholesome festive tale, adapted and directed by Matt Aston, is suited well to the intimate space of The REP’s smaller studio theatre (The Door), creating a cosy Christmas vibe whilst drawing on themes of the importance of family and cross-generational friendships in an appropriate tone for young audiences.
The Snowflake tells the story of young girl Noelle stuck on a piece of school homework asking her to write a poem about Christmas. Throughout the show, she goes on a journey with her grandpa, Pappie, and together they learn about the magical adventures of a snowflake learning how to land, to inspire Noelle’s poetry writing.
The small cast of just two actors, and countless puppets, work perfectly together, acting with tremendous energy and enthusiasm throughout the performance. Layla Mehay-Bennett brings to life the youthful energy of school kid, Noelle. Heidi Goldsmith excellently multi-roles the characters of Mum and Pappie, nailing the distinct mannerisms of each person from their walk to their posture to help convey the different generations, aided by the clever costume piece of Pappie’s winter hat, with a ready built-in wig attached for seamless character transitions. The two actors work well together, especially during some of the uplifting singing and dancing moments of the show. Julian Butler’s composition truly brings out some beautiful harmonies and catchy melodies for both Mehay-Bennett and Goldsmith to perform.
A heart-warmingly entertaining moment is when Goldsmith personifies the character of the snow cloud puppet, using an entertaining voice and nailing each comedic intricacy of the cloud, such as raising its eyebrows at various points. Oliver James Hymans is both the puppet designer and puppetry director for The Snowflake, and has an excellent vision that combines comedy, comfort and clever characterisations that have everyone drawn into the suspension of disbelief, whether it is seeing excited dog Fozzie bound around the stage or the myriads of snowflakes daintily floating through the air on their adventure. The imaginative use of puppetry throughout the performance is truly characteristic of Little Angel Theatre, one of the co-producers of the show.
The set design is simply entrancing. Walking into the auditorium, audiences are greeted with a flurry of decorative snowflakes, transporting us into this wintry wonderland prior to the start of the show. The set also features a series of light-up clouds that further transport audiences into a winter paradise, made even more impressive when you find out that they have been repurposed from a previous show at The REP and given new life by up-cycling donated duvets. It truly is empowering to hear about the sustainable initiatives part of the production’s set and costume design, in line with Theatre Green Book standards. The multi-functional set cleverly opens up to convey multiple locations throughout, from the village high street to the inside of Noelle’s home, donned with festive décor. Picture frames rotate to reveal the exterior of local fish and chip shop, and the cosy rug flips over into a patch of grass in the village creating a clever set that is both visually interesting and highly practical. The most magical moment of set design is when blocks on the stage get converted into a miniature version of the village; it is like seeing a series of dollhouses decorate the stage in a way that is truly fitting for this production of The Snowflake.
There are several moments when the lighting design and puppetry come together to create magical moments onstage. The first time is when the audience are introduced to the character of the snowflake, who glows and sparkles across the stage, enchanting children and parents alike as audible gasps and ‘wows’ radiate around the auditorium. Seeing the snowflake puppets dance around the stage accompanied by a central disco ball and warming lighting design is a true highlight of the show.
A feel-good family Christmas show packed with playful puppetry and animated storytelling.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Heidi Downing
The Snowflake plays at The REP, Birmingham until 12 January 2025, with further info here.