THEATRE: "LITTLE WOMEN" IS A BIG SUCCESS
Snugged away in the heart of Northbridge sits The Blue Room Theatre, a novel lil’ venue filed with expressionist endeavours; my experiences at the Blue Room have always been unique, mystifying, and bizarre; so, to no detriment, you can imagine my shock when I realised this was a relatively direct rendition of the Louisa May Alcott novel, Little Women, albeit, with a queer twist.
Little Women is a classic coming-of-age tale that follows the March sisters as they navigate love, dreams, death, and their unique aspirations, in a world that’s pitted against women. The tale remains ever relevant in our patriarchal world and was recently adapted for the screen by the stellar Greta Gerwig.
Eilish Campbell’s remarkable set design and Catherine O’Donoghue’s stage management immediately welcomes you into the cosiest set you’ve ever entered, paired with Rhiannon Peterson incredibly soft lighting, I could’ve stayed in this set comfortably for the rest of my life.
The remarkable cast consisting of Jess Nyanda Moyle, Cezera Critti-Schnaars, Mani Mae Gomes, Amber Kitney and Ramiah Alcantara wait on stage as the audience enter and perform with humour, wit, and passion thereafter. There’s a lot to love in Little Women and the cast add several extra-flavours of humour; the occasional trip on extended-gowns, though unscripted, played exceptionally well with the audience. And whilst mentioning gowns, Eilish Campbell knocks it out of the ballpark again with their intrepid, ostentatious, and regal costume designs.
Directors Melanie Julien-Martial and Sally Davies command the stage with brilliant authority, allowing each scene to be clearly understood and the narrative to flow without skipping a beat or feeling over-drawn, adding a zest of fun to this well-loved tale.
My one and only gripe is the occasionally bizarre rave-music that plays during party scenes, not quite rave-y enough to be humorous, but rave-y enough to feel slightly jarring.
Little Women is a tried-and-tested classic, as wholly loved as it is wholly relevant. The Blue Room production of Little Women is a wonderful little spectacle, an easy-going, well-performed and fantastically put together play that offers everything loved about the tale. The cast and crew behind this production are a talented bunch and I eagerly await the next pieces they create. For those looking for a cozy night on the town, or fans of the source material, Little Women is a lovely little adventure.
Little Women is playing at the Blue Room Theatre till November 27th. Tickets are available from blueroom.org.au
