Hansel and Gretel is the second English National Opera production to be locked into the Open Air's theatre season at Regent's Park.
Following the acclaimed operatic production of Henry James's horror novella The Turn of the Screw in 2018, this is Engelbert Humperdinck's 19th century operatic reworking of the Grimmm Brothers' fairytale.
As someone not particularly in tune with opera when I saw Turn of the Screw, I was greatly impressed (https://www.allwaystraveller.com/continents/europe/turn-of-the-screw-at-the-open-air-theatre-regent-s-park) and was eager to see Hansel and Gretel.
I guessed it would be lighter in tone, and it is, and probably more accessible for the general theatre goer, and it is.
Hansel and Gretel is a memorably warm production.
The opera, was commissioned by Humperdinck's sister, for a Christmas play she had written for her children.
It was based on the Grimm's original gothic fairytale, though considerably softened in tone.
Hansel and Gretel, having annoyed their impoverished mother, are sent into the forest to look for fruit.
Quickly getting lost, and very hungry, they fortuitously come across a house made of gingerbread.
They naturally start eating the building but are then captured by its owner – a witch.
As captors, Gretel is put to work in the kitchen, while Hansel is caged and force fed so as to provide the witch with a hearty meal.
Good prevails over evil (as it has to) and the witch is pushed into her oven and turned into a gingerbread person.
Her death breaks a spell that sees the release of other children the witch had baked into gingerbread boys and girls.
Sung in English so as to be easily followed, the pleasure in this OAT/ENO production of Hansel and Gretel is in the way it all comes together.
Engelbert Humperdinck's folk infused music, as performed by the 20 piece ENO Orchestra, is sumptuous and the performances by Hansel, Gretel, mother, father and the witch are sublime.
As with Turn of the Screw, the ENO alternates the parts.
At the performance I attended they were played by Rachel Kelly, Susanna Hurrell, Rosie Aldridge, Duncan Roch and Alasdair Elliott respectively.
Added to this are touches of surreal humour, particularly when the angels (as cabin crew) protect the sleeping Hansel and Gretel to end the second act.
We will never know what the children made of Act 3, and the introduction of the witch, but in this production the scene is played superbly as grotesque slapstick and is unsettlingly macabre
But no need to worry, all ends well and we can assume everyone (apart from that wretched witch) live happily ever after.
I was certainly very happy to have been able to enjoy another wonderful evening at the Open Air Theatre Regent's Park.
Hansel and Gretel plays until 22 June 2019
This is followed by :
- A Midsummer Night's Dream : 28 June to 27 July 2019, and
- Evita : 2 August to 21 September 2019.
See also : The Open Air Regent's Park is a theatrical must : https://www.allwaystraveller.com/allways-features-home/the-open-air-regent-s-park-is-a-theatrical-must