Big Bad Wolf by the Plandits Theatre Company is a high-energy, rock-infused musical spectacular that explores what happens after some of the most iconic fairy tales to ever exist! This fast-paced, family-friendly musical is the perfect way to start any day (especially a Fringe-centred one), with its feel-good message of change and forgiveness.
The team involved truly flex their artistic abilities as they switch between a range of outlandish characters and even take turns accompanying each other on a collection of instruments — a truly impressive feat! What was truly fantastic about this production is the fact that the audience were instantly transported into this fictitious world from the very moment they entered the space. The crowd were greeted at the door by the fantastic Fairy Godmother (played by the brilliant Thomas Holland-Hare), who welcomed them into the space, with the cast on stage preparing for their performance as any good band would do prior to their set. This helps adults and young people alike to easily transition into the world of fairy tales and introduces the fact that the music itself plays a big role in what they are about to see. It is not just rock and roll that the Plandits have decided to shine a light on, however, as they also take the opportunity to celebrate the incredibly British art form of pantomime through the addition of the Fairy Godmother. As a sort of narrator who breaks the fourth wall, the Fairy Godmother literally commands the stage, as she is able to freeze the action to help explain exactly what is going on. This is particularly important for the young people in the crowd but benefits everyone, as they can easily follow along. This character also starts the show by speaking in rhyming couplets to add a bit more whimsy to the show, but as the show progresses and her magic begins to fade, these obvious couplets begin to fall apart. This is an obvious demonstration of the anxiety and fear the character endures throughout the show, which is a very clever writing technique.
As expected from this band of musically talented performers, the songs throughout the production are a highlight (you can listen to a selection on Spotify here). The music manages to balance the line between family-friendly, rock-infused storytelling and the over-the-top nature of fairy tales and their characters. My favourite number throughout the entire production was the unexpected venture of The Three Little Pigs into an almost techno/house number titled “Build Your Haus with Brick”. This is a very clever inclusion for multiple reasons, as not only is it a highly entertaining number, with the pigs taking to the stage wearing dark sunglasses and performing beautiful choreography, but it also makes sense from a narrative standpoint. The pigs are presented to the audience as German throughout (with this nationality often being associated with house music), but it also cannot be ignored that there is a clever play on words with “house”, which is not only the genre but also touches upon the source fairy tale, as the pigs are known for the idea of building three homes. The slight diversion in musical genres helped the crowd stay fully engaged but also had them in fits of laughter throughout. After The Big Bad Wolf himself (played flawlessly by Jonathan Deakin) has gone through a powerful story of change and has visibly been seen to race across countries to help rescue Gunther (captured wonderfully by Peter Bottley), who is one of The Little Pigs’ band members who felt outcast and isolated, the characters come together to showcase a wonderful performance of a joyous and high-energy song about being a part of the pack. This provides the happy ending all family-friendly shows strive for! Completing the quartet of insanely talented performers is the incredible Eloise Hare, who brings to life the wholesome and compassionate Little Red Riding Hood. She is tasked with organising the town’s biggest music festival, and anyone who has ever worked in event management will be aware that this role can be immensely stressful and anxiety-inducing, which Eloise is able to portray excellently as the show progresses.
In conclusion, Big Bad Wolf by the Plandits is a wonderful family-friendly musical that showcases the immense breadth of talent of every single person involved. The fact that the performers seem totally at ease balancing not only a range of larger-than-life characters but also finding moments to support each other through accompanying one another is mind-blowing, but the cast are able to transition flawlessly while still demonstrating how talented they truly are! This rock-infused musical spectacular is not only perfect for all ages due to its overarching message of forgiveness but is also a fantastic way to start any day, with the constant injection of electrifying energy and a range of characters we all know and love (but at times not as we have come to expect them).I would rate this production 4 out of 5 stars!
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