Gothic musical hits all the right notes
Marinka is a young girl who dreams of a normal life, where she can stay somewhere long enough to make friends, but there’s one problem – her house has chicken legs and moves on without warning, writes Claudia Lee.
The Olivier-nominated theatre company Les Enfants Terribles and HOME Manchester has brought a Christmas holiday run of The House with Chicken Legs, to the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, in Belvedere Road, South Bank.
Hot on the heels of an autumn tour, the show will run until December 30.
While the audience is left to question the importance of the chicken legs, there is a lot more going on in this play.
Based on Sophie Anderson’s best-selling novel, the story is inspired by folk tales Ms Anderson was told by her Prussian grandmother.
Marinka lives with her grandmother, Baba.
Her grandmother is a yaga – someone who guards the gate between the living and the dead and guides the recently departed to the other side.
With a focus on the awkwardness of teenage life, The House with Chicken Legs is a funny, thought-provoking and lively take on the complexities of loss.
Led by Les Enfants Terribles adapter and co-director Oliver Lansley, the story is brought to life through live music, intricate puppetry and projections.
Sophie Anderson, author of The House with Chicken Legs, said: “The show is bursting with breath-taking, heart-swelling, soul-expanding music and magic and will be the perfect treat for everyone to enjoy this festive season.”
The cast includes Eve de Leon Allen as Marinka, Lisa Howard as Baba, Dan Willis as Jackdaw, Michael Barker as Ben, Elouise Warboys as Nina and Stephanie Levi-John as Yaga.
The songs are written by Alexander Wolfe and Oliver Langsley, and the cast play multiple instruments during the whole play.
Known for their innovative use of props and puppetry, Les Enfants Terribles explores unique ways of telling stories and immersing audiences in new, weird and wonderful worlds.
James Seager, co-director said: “As a magical piece of theatre, I can’t wait to transport audiences to our beautifully gothic musical that is truly suitable for all with laughs, emotion and bucket loads of charm!”
To book tickets, visit the Southbank Centre website: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/performance-dance/house-chicken-legs
Picture: From left, Eve de Leon Allen as Marinka and Lisa Howard as Baba Pictures: Andrew AB Photography