Tag Archives: Luke Goscomb

SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE

★★★★★

Sadler’s Wells East

SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE

Sadler’s Wells East

★★★★★

“pushes the boundaries of what is possible”

It is a story that we grew up reading and watching. We think we know it well. Therefore, we have no reason to be uncomfortable for what we are about to witness. But we soon slip out of this sense of security, as we realise we are in completely unchartered territory.

Snow White: The Sacrifice is a ballet twist on the classic fairy tale, but not the sort that you would tell your children before bedtime. It is a story of raw, unthinkable evil driven by bitterness and lust. In our story, the villain is the Queen, Snow White’s own mother. When Snow White reaches adulthood, the Queen feels she is ready to meet a new lover. But when this new King arrives at the palace, he only has eyes for the young princess. The Queen is enraged, which is where we see ‘the sacrifice.’ The Queen, played by Caroline Reece, is willing to sacrifice anything to convince herself she retains the loosest of connections to her youth. Reece brings so much depth to the role with a remarkable flexibility as she moves throughout her performance.

Like any good fairy tale, there is the damsel in distress. Virginia Scudeletti plays the titular character in a spellbinding performance. She powerfully maintains the tension despite being on stage for most of the show. Her all-white outfit evokes powerful imagery and reminds of her innocence in the face of such cruelty. The costume design (Nasir Mazhar and Libby El-Alfy) is a strength of the entire production. Masks allow characters to play characters. Ribbons add elegance but also signify the Queen’s desire to tighten control.

Perhaps, the most impressive ‘character’ is the centrepiece staircase that sits in the middle of the stage. The stairs allow the action to take place on multiple levels adding another dimension to the masterpiece. The case also hides many of the props and even characters that join scenes. This allows seamless transitions, accompanied by exceptional dance. Because of this, an astonishing fluidity is achieved, which could not have been done if so many performers had been waiting in the wings. This also means that the show makes exceptionally efficient use of such a large space, which could be hard to cover. Of course, credit must go to Liv Lorent (also artistic director for the show’s company, balletLORENT) for her outstanding direction and such creative choreography.

The voice that guides us through the experience is our narrator, Sarah Parish. Despite the grandeur of the performances on stage, we would be lost without the voice of the production. The retelling is descriptive but not excessively so, in a way that might distract. It is a fine balance between insufficient and overbearing that is achieved. It supports the dancers on stage whilst allowing the show to breathe its own life. Additional credit should go to Carol Ann Duffy (Scenario Writer) for this.

In fact, this balance could be said of the entire production. It pushes the boundaries of what is possible from such a retelling. It gives a lot to the audience, without asking too much of them. In an orchestra of possibilities, it always finds the right note.



SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE

Sadler’s Wells East

Reviewed on 18th April 2025

by Luke Goscomb

Photography by Luke Waddington

 

 


 

 

 

Recently reviewed at other Sadler’s Wells venues:

SKATEPARK | ★★★★ | SADLER’S WELLS EAST | April 2025
MIDNIGHT DANCER | ★★★★ | PEACOCK THEATRE | March 2025
THE DREAM | ★★★★★ | PEACOCK THEATRE | March 2025
DEEPSTARIA | ★★★★ | SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE | February 2025
VOLLMOND | ★★★★★ | SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE | February 2025
DIMANCHE | ★★★★ | PEACOCK THEATRE | January 2025
SONGS OF THE WAYFARER | ★★★★ | LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO | December 2024
NOBODADDY (TRÍD AN BPOLL GAN BUN) | ★★★★ | SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE | November 2024
THE SNOWMAN | ★★★★ | PEACOCK THEATRE | November 2024
EXIT ABOVE | ★★★★ | SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE | November 2024

 

 

SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE

SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE

SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE

DICK

★★★

Drayton Arms

DICK

Drayton Arms

★★★

“The dialogue throughout is intricate and precise”

Oh, to be young and free. To have one’s whole life ahead of you. Well, all is not as it seems. Dick is a powerful immersion into the dangerous desires of youth and the burden of potential – the idea that you could be anything, but will you be something?

Five friends reach the age of 26 and become afraid that ‘their youth’ may be behind them. No, not afraid, rather obsessed. Despite their obvious youth, they feel an urgency to push the boundaries without any caution and with dangerous consequences. The show is an exploration of love, lust and the unexpected precariousness of self-indulgence.

We start with the friends dancing in a nightclub. The mood is euphoric and joyous. We quickly move to a heated discussion about their differing views on sex. This is where our central characters emerge. The protagonist of the show, Noah, is remarkably condescending and masquerades his ignorance as intelligence. He insists on being right and ensures he is by interrupting those who disagree and hides his insecurity by living in the hypothetical rather than reality. Joseph Lynch is very impressive in the role.

The others emerge in this debate too. Bailey is quieter but the fire within their soul is unmistakeable. Andi Bickers is an unstoppable force in the role. Ruby (Frederick Russell) is vibrant and vivacious and provides the necessary antidote to Noah. Our remaining two characters are Ruby’s sister, Cleo (Nina Fidderman), and friend River (Max Brennan), who allow us to see the story through other perspectives.

The dialogue throughout is intricate and precise, which allows us to see a range of angles on the key themes. However, it is slightly too detailed. Because of this it feels like the punchlines don’t always land, and in fact, it often feels like the most action is happening when there is the least talking.

Significant plot events are marked by live costume changes. This is a smart addition as otherwise the scene changes would be sudden and unobvious. Credit must go to Katie Shores (costume design) as this forms a critical driver of the plot. The friends start the show wearing bright clothes but move to more greyscale outfits as the scenes darken.

Initially, it seems that Noah will be our martyr for the cause of hedonism and soul-searching. Of course, he would like it to be him. “I would die if I thought I would get away with it,” he tells us. But the show is not just an exploration of one’s own path to self-destruction. It is a warning about the effects that one’s self-indulgence can have on others, who often end up with greater suffering. “You are addicted to poison, and it comes out of your mouth,” Bailey tells Noah. This is the punchline that the show does manage to land, and the production makes great use of audio (Polly Dacam) and visual effects (Harriet White) to do this. 

The development of the characters of Noah, Ruby and Bailey is excellent. However, it feels like five characters may be too many for this story. Max Brennan and Nina Fidderman are exceptionally composed and accurate as River and Cleo respectively. However, we don’t see enough of them, and their performances deserve a greater part of the story. Moreover the show is too long, with the length not commensurate to the amount of plot that we watch.

However, the critical element of this show is not its shortfalls in areas of the drama. It is what it warns us about, the real experiences of young people and the dangers of over-indulgence.

 



DICK

Drayton Arms

Reviewed on 17th April 2025

by Luke Goscomb

Photography by Abigail Dawn

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

SARAH QUAND MÊME | | February 2024

 

 

DICK

DICK

DICK