Ambassador Reviews of Hansel & Gretel

Review on ‘Hansel and Gretel’ at the Theatre Royal, York

On the 11^th June, my friends and I went to see ‘Hansel and Gretel’ at the Theatre Royal, York. We arrived, not exactlyknowing what we were in for. We suspected a little fancy childish performance, but we were mistaken.

As we walked into the Studio (a small theatre where the stage is not risen), the sweet smell of candyfloss filled our nostrils. The two actors were making real candyfloss in their mobile “sweet shop”, of different colours and sizes. The set was absolutely phenomenal, with jars of real sweets (including jelly beans, gummy bears, liquorice allsorts and much more); two tables with reversible table cloths and chair cushions; Party rings, Polos and Marshmallows stuck on the door: it was all so tempting! I wanted to run out of my seat and gobble the whole stage up! What really got me though was the Sherbet Fountain chimney, and I wondered who thought of these ideas (but now I know it was Lydia Denno, the designer)! The two actors were performing as we walked into the studio. They carried on with their business as if we hadn’t even walked in despite all the noise.

The part of Hansel was played by Robin Simpson, who has previously worked in Coronation Street, Waterloo Road, See No Evil: The Moors Murders and Liverpool 1 on television, and he trained at Bretton Hall College near Wakefield. His comical adaptation of the rap at the beginning of the play was great fun. I thought that his puppetry and timing was up to perfection and the chemistry between Hansel and Gretel was exactly as intended, brother-and-sisterly.

The role of Gretel was played by Ebony Feare, who has been in Vincent and The Marchioness on television and is appearing as Cool Cat in Dick Whittington at Gala Theatre, Durham this Christmas. Her portrayal of the witch, gave a spooky yet enchanting shiver down our spines. She changed characters seamlessly.

If you have heard of and love the story of Hansel and Gretel, come and see this play.

If you have heard of and hate the story of Hansel and Gretel, come and see this play.

If you have never even heard of the story of Hansel and Gretel, come and see this play.

I completely recommend this show to everyone, all age groups were laughing along to all the witty, silly jokes. Take your family along to see it! To sum it all up in one word…

AMAZING!!!

Eleanor Leaper

Joseph Rowntree School

Hansel and Gretel Review

Well, to start off- I used to go to these plays every year and be amazed at the many possibilities that were achieved with only two people! I hadn’t been to one of the plays again for a few years and when I got asked to go and see another one and write a review about it…I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it as much as I did when I was younger. But I actually REALLY enjoyed it…

Well the show was opened up with a really funny rap by Hansel (but before that it was really interesting to just have the actors on stage with no certain thing to do just being able to interact with the audience- and make sweets!). Everyone must know the basic story of Hansel and Gretel but it was a really clever twist making Hansel and Gretel own a sweet shop and be telling the story as adults. And of course that would make more sense only having two actors playing all the parts!

It was really funny making them both have their own versions of the story and to have Hansel constantly adding his own parts from his side of the story (especially the candy floss gobbler!) It was also very funny when one of the people playing either Hansel or Gretel was playing a different part so the other had to use an oven glove!

It was very funny when Hansel was explaining the sweet house and it was like one of those speeches that people like Presidents make! I also like hoe Hansel kept putting red noses on Gretel!

It was also funny when Gretel was lost in the forest and kept hallucinating and saw the “talking tree”. The duck was also very funny (especially the ducktch song!) Hansel as the dragon was very funny and all the little children around me were smiling and laughing!

It is so clever how they simply put on something like a hat and glasses and they become a completely different character! And all the costumes were fantastic. 

The sets were also amazing! It was very clever how there was a wagon, a table and a few things but they were used as their house, the witches house, the forest, Hansel’s cell, etc. Whoever came up with that is VERY VERY clever!

Hansel and Gretel playing the witch was HILARIOUS! Especially when Hansel was playing her and and he kept saying he would cast a spell but then he wouldn’t and they made the lights and music really dramatic which made it even funnier!

I love how when Hansel was in his cell and Gretel was giving him meals and he simply lifted up his cell and took the plate and everyone’s thinking “why don’t you just lift it up and get out then?” It was funny when they discovered the talking gummy bears and thought that Gretel’s bum was talking! However the best bit HAS to be Senior Gingerbread! “You make wee wee with your eyes!”

It was very funny when Hansel and Gretel had reached home at last and Hansel shouted: “DAD… HAG WE’RE HOME!”

I can’t think of ANYTHING negative to say about the say and it DEFINATLY deserves 5 stars! A great show for families, children AND adults! Well done and I hope to be asked to review more of these plays in the future!

Grace Metheringham

Canon Lee Secondary school

Young ambassadors

J (P.S if there are any sweets left could I please have them! :P)

HANSEL AND GRETEL REVIEW

It was not so much the Hansel and Gretel that you find in the big book of fairy tales, but their life story told by them a few years later. Gretel (Ebony Feare) wanted to read the true story from her diary but Hansel (Robin Simpson) kept butting in with his souped up version where in most scenarios, he was the hero fighting dragons and candyfloss gobblers. Gretel’s version includes a talking duck, a wicked witch, her stepmother and her father, all of whom are played by herself or Hansel.

Before I saw this play I thought it would be for the younger generation of about 8 years and younger but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Throughout the play everyone watching the performance was laughing, even the adults.

The use of props was fantastic. For instance, when Hansel was pretending to be the father he had hair and a beard made out of real candyfloss.

The swapping from character to character was very smooth, so when they appeared as different characters it was almost unexpected. When acting as someone else they were very good at changing voices and moving in a different way. For example when playing themselves they stand and move upright but when in the witch’s character they stoop over and speak in a croaked voice.

My favourite scene was when Gretel was on her own sobbing and she comes across the Gingerbread man. I liked this bit the best because it made me laugh a lot and had a good comedy value too it. It was aimed at the younger audience but it comes across as funny to all of us.

In conclusion this is a must see play that would be enjoyed by everyone. I would rate it 9 stars out of 10 because it was a light hearted comedy worth watching. If it were a film I would rate it as a PG because it is a family play with features for all.

Report written by Melissa Blyth-Bristow

Young ambassador at Canon lee School