FRINGE 2019: Go to bed or BABA YAGA will get you!
Baba Yaga
Stage 6 (Strathcona Community League)
Baba Yaga is a fearsome creature used for centuries to frighten Slavic children just before bed. She is described as a witch but has assumed many shapes and forms. and is probably best known for living in the forest in a house on chicken’s legs.
The Alberta Opera, a company of road warriors that has produced professional (and award winning) original musicals for children for many years, appears at the Fringe 2019 with a new take on the tale of the formidable old biddy.
The plot has Vasilisa (Hannah Wigglesworth) as a young girl sent to collect “light” from Baba Yaga after her home goes dark. Vasilisa lives a Cinderella-like life as the servant of her overbearing step-mother (Marguerite Lawler) and her two miserable step-sisters (Lindsay Downs and Kendra Sargeant). Deep in the woods, she ends up in a similar menial position for the fearsome witch (also played by Lawler). Yaga’s house is a remarkable place with a glittering black talking crow and a really neat talking skull. Vasilisa is given three impossible tasks which she performs so skilfully, and with such good grace, that she wins over the wretched witch (who apparently isn’t so bad after all.)
The adventure is led by Dempsey Bolton as a strolling black-clad musician. He’s the entire orchestra and an impressive and supportive accompanist. The simple but ingenious and colourful set is composed of a series of three affixed flats that can be spun to become house interiors or scary woods.
The music and lyrics from Kathryn Smith are appealing and hummable and Suzie Martin’s direction is spirited.
Camille Pavlenko’s book is more problematic. The plot is simple enough for young minds to follow but the fact that actors appear in various roles (and serve to operate the house’s talking animals) means they seldom leave the stage. This leaves the young audience wondering just what’s going on. Like, why is that ugly-stepsister walking around carrying that big black bird?
It didn’t seem to make much difference. The young audience I saw it with showed little sign of restlessness and enjoyed the hour, with older members having a better understanding of the theatrical devices being used. The young cast is so good, so full of vibrant life, sing so well and seem to be having such fun with puttin’ on a show that a good time was had by all.
3 out of 5
