The BFG West End Reviews

The performers are impeccable under the direction of RSC co-head Daniel Evans. Yet with the BFG and baddie giant Bloodbottler divided between an actor, a puppet and four on-stage puppeteers, coherent characterisation can be lost; Paddington: The Musi...

The performers are impeccable under the direction of RSC co-head Daniel Evans. Yet with the BFG and baddie giant Bloodbottler divided between an actor, a puppet and four on-stage puppeteers, coherent characterisation can be lost; Paddington: The Musical more seamlessly combines acting, animatronics and voices projected from backstage. Showing the complexities of theatrical funding now, The BFG is a co-production with Chichester Festival and Singapore Repertory theatres. Audiences will have enough fun but, while intermittently showing the RSC’s artistic power, this sadly doesn’t feel like the giant hit its finances need.

This production of The BFG represents some of the finest work delivered by the RSC that I have ever witnessed. A true masterpiece of theatrical stagecraft, it weaves together a stunning blend of artistry. There’s the evocative score and ingenious p...

This production of The BFG represents some of the finest work delivered by the RSC that I have ever witnessed. A true masterpiece of theatrical stagecraft, it weaves together a stunning blend of artistry. There’s the evocative score and ingenious puppetry to its lighting, set, costumes, illusions, and video projections. The seamless collaboration between the creative team, cast, and stage crew brings this timeless story to life with spectacular imagination and precision which will leave even the youngest of audience member in awe of what is unfolding on the verstalie space has this theatre has to offer.

Wonderful, but at other points, it feels like the focus gets lost; as when we’re required to watch both the human and puppet versions of the other bruising giants slug it out, diminishing the menace of the vicious “Bloodbottler” in particular. ...

Wonderful, but at other points, it feels like the focus gets lost; as when we’re required to watch both the human and puppet versions of the other bruising giants slug it out, diminishing the menace of the vicious “Bloodbottler” in particular. Likewise, although there’s a beautiful sequence in which a feather-like luminous “dream” magically darts about the auditorium, only to be caught in BFG’s net, the preoccupation in the story, about how our dreams relate to our subconscious fears, feels under explored. Sophie, BFG and the Queen too (a redoubtable Helena Lymbery) are all struggling with loneliness, but a deep sense of inner-life is lacking.

Bringing all this to the stage requires skill and vision, of which director Daniel Evans and his team evidently possess limitless supplies. Visually, the show is a marvel, a world of colour and light that draws frequent gasps and often beggars belief...

Bringing all this to the stage requires skill and vision, of which director Daniel Evans and his team evidently possess limitless supplies. Visually, the show is a marvel, a world of colour and light that draws frequent gasps and often beggars belief. Key to it all is a brilliant and wholly convincing depiction of scale: the characters sometimes appear as humans and sometimes as puppets, miniature or gigantic, manipulated with almost uncanny lifelikeness. None of this feels gratuitous or gimmicky, but rather a reflection of the assured excellence that suffuses the production.