Review: Wise Children

by Daniel Hill

Emma Rice has been on an interesting journey for this piece to finally materialize, starting off with her desire to adapt and stage this book before her time as Artistic Director at Shakespeare’s Globe. Luckily for us, the wait is now over as both the play and her new company, both named Wise Children, has hit the world. I was lucky enough to see this production at the Old Vic, London before it sets off on a nationwide tour. Much like any other piece created by Rice, it is filled with joyous, comedic and moving moments.

Wise Children tells the story of twins Dora and Nora and how they have ended up where they are today including an invite to a party from Melchior Hazard, who we later find out is their long-lost father. As we see them grow up Rice takes us on a journey from puppets to actors who both respectively morph into their older self. 

Emma Rice’s directing adds both comedy and sorrow into the lives of each character we see on stage, something which I have only seen in her productions. We see the heartbreak and joy from every character as their story evolves and the actor seems to be truly invested within the story as they become the characters with true conviction.

Emma Rice’s direction is exceptional as ever. Everyone in the audience laughed, some shed tears and they all seemed to enjoy it. Both through her direction, the choreography from Etta Murfitt (who also starred in the play) and the lighting design from Vicki Mortimer this production proves the amount of joy a piece of theatre can carry. It is clear to me how reliant Rice is on the technical aspects of her shows which really add a crucial element to the pieces. Without the lighting, some of the most memorable and breathtaking moments would not have been quite so effective which really gives credit to the design team behind this production as they enhance Rice’s and the cast’s brilliant work.

The cast were equally amazing and joyous. There was no clear weak link within the extremely talented group of people which seemed more amazing as each actor had a chance to step out and shine. However, some people did stand out. Katy Owen in the role of Grandma Chance was an example of someone summing up Rice’s style. A comical and joyous performance from this wonderful actress who brings a smile to my face right now as I am thinking about some of her moments on stage. As Rice had cast the roles with a ‘gender-blind’ outlook, it led to a few men playing female roles. For example, Gareth Snook in the role of older Dora outshone many of the cast with his role, predominantly as a narrator. He was able to allow the audience to learn to love him in his performance which was not unlike that of a pantomime dame. He seemed slightly classier. Another mention must go to Mike Shepard, Artistic Director of Kneehigh, who starred in this piece. He often brightened up the stage with his comical presence.

Emma Rice has proved that she is able to bounce back from almost anything. Her recent turmoil has resulted in creating a new theatre company which looks like it will be lasting for a long time if this production is anything to go by. Some pieces of theatre urge the whole auditorium to stand at the end, and this was an example of this. This play with music encapsulates something from Angela Carter’s novel which will be a lasting message from this company. The line used twice in this piece is taken directly from the original novel and is “What a joy it is to dance and sing.” From the reactions of the cast on stage they definitely carry this message but this piece proves something else. It is also a joy to watch people dance and sing, with this production being a fine example.