The Witches - Review by Seb Ward

**** (4 Stars)

Minerva Theatre, Chichester - Monday 9 December, 2013

A youth group performing in the round is always a very bold move, however, under the direction of Dale Rooks, Chichester Festival Youth Theatre overcome any problems posed by the staging with ease and avidity.

This wonderful adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic tale tells the story of Boy and his encounter with witches; not the sort that wear pointy hats and fly around on broomsticks, but a more contemporary kind of witch, perfectly captured in the costumes designed by Janejaney.

The set is skilfully used to create a magical ambience throughout the show and gives room for the cast to display a wide range of non-naturalistic techniques, including puppetry and physical theatre. Oliver Jackson’s score accompanies the humorous script delightfully, highlighting certain points in the play and consequently creating tension and, at times, humour.

Finn Elliot takes on the role of Boy with professionalism and ardour, alongside his Norwegian, cigar-smoking Grandmother, played by Beth Church. One of Dahl’s most evil creations, the Grand High Witch, is played by Emma Read, who gives a consistent and enjoyable performance: clearly a natural talent with a superb voice that is unfortunately lost at some points in the play. Although The Witches is a female-dominated cast, the cameo in the form of the chefs gives space for the male actors Guy Conroy-Smith and Jack Nash to give a comical duo that the audience receives well.

The Witches is a short, light-hearted production that is aimed at younger viewers, but there are moments of humour for an older age group. Although it comes to a very abrupt ending, it is a pleasure to watch and demonstrates the exceptional skill that some of these young performers have.

The Witches is playing at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester until 4 Jan. Book your tickets here: http://www.cft.org.uk/the-witches