Review: WATERSHIP DOWN at Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into Watership Down at the Minnesota Fringe Festival. I knew the general story but wasn’t very familiar with Richard Adams’ novel. What I found was a creative and surprisingly moving production that uses music and movement to bring the story to life.

Presented by Melancholics Anonymous at the Rarig Stoll Thrust Theatre, Watership Down follows a group of rabbits who leave their home after Fiver has a vision that something terrible is coming. Led by Hazel, they set out to find somewhere safe to start over.

Rachel Ropella and Timothy Kelly adapted the story for the stage, with Ropella directing and Bee Davis providing the original music and lyrics.

One of my favorite parts of the production was the way the cast physically became the rabbits without relying on elaborate costumes. The ears, makeup, movement, and body language were enough. It didn’t take long before I stopped thinking about the fact that I was watching people playing rabbits and became invested in their journey.

The original music also works really well. The folk sound feels like it belongs in this world and becomes part of the storytelling rather than stopping the story for a song.

The production makes great use of the Rarig Stoll Thrust space. There isn’t an elaborate set, but there doesn’t need to be. Movement, lighting, puppetry, and other simple theatrical choices create the different places and dangers the rabbits encounter along the way.

There is a lot of story packed into the show, and things move quickly. There were a few moments when I had to work a little harder to keep track of everything happening. I could easily see this working as a longer production where some of the characters and bigger moments have more time to develop.

I was also surprised by how much humor is mixed into the story. Watership Down can get dark, and there are certainly moments of danger, but the lighter moments give the audience a chance to enjoy these characters before things become serious again.

For me, the heart of the show is the relationship between the rabbits. They are searching for somewhere safe to live, but along the way they become their own community. They depend on each other, disagree, protect one another, and keep going together.

Watership Down is an ambitious show to take on at Fringe, and Melancholics Anonymous finds a creative way to tell it. The music, movement, puppetry, and performances come together to create a world that feels much bigger than the stage.

Even if you haven’t read Watership Down, there is plenty to enjoy here. At its heart, it’s a story about finding home, finding your people, and what it takes to get there.

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