I just watched the video of the Regents Park production and it took a while for me to adjust to the somewhat hackneyed concept, but I did enjoy it. I thought the boy as narrator was going to annoy me, but it didn’t so much. More than anything, the costuming sort of threw me off. I thought it was weird that some of the characters had contemporary costumes, but others were more traditional and if it’s all in the boy’s mind, are we supposed to believe he imagines Cinderella with a nose ring and headphones? I understood the contemporary touches and how they associated with the characters, but there was a real disconnect with the device of the boy as narrator and the costuming was just generally inconsistent. I think a young boy imaging fairy tale characters with a contemporary edge and a mix of period stylings is way too much of a stretch. Pick one concept or the other, but layering them just wasn’t cohesive or logical. I didn’t hate it, but I couldn’t buy it, either. I hope the new costumes make a bit more sense.
As for the sexualization of Little Red (and Jack), I thought it was handled rather brilliantly, especially in the direction and costuming. What kept it from being completely inappropriate was the casting of Little Red. It was very tongue-in-cheek that she was so blatantly neither “little” nor a “girl”. And her change in character after I Know Things Now made so much more sense than compared to any other production I’d seen. BUT…I feel liked it worked so well because it was a British production. The UK and Europe are far more sexually aware at an earlier age than Americans and less sexually conservative in their popular entertainment. So, if the casting were not so obviously ironic in the new production, I can see why this would ruffle a lot of feathers with American audiences, especially those familiar with the material and expecting it to be less PG-13.
My biggest criticism with the Regents Park production is the comedy. It’s just so bland and so many missed opportunities. Little Red was the highlight of the entire piece. And I agree that the opening was over choreographed. The problem is, they are introducing many characters, yet there is a surplus of people on stage dancing about and you have no idea who they are or why they are participating. Adding ANYTHING to that very long and complex opening is just gilding the lily. If the characters haven’t been introduced in the opening, either have them sing off-stage or make it OBVIOUS through the costuming and staging why and how they are part of the stories.
And Eric, the Mary Poppins Supercalietc choreography was the first thing I thought of as well.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
