7 / 10
And Triplett is convincing as idiosyncratic Gran, gruff but warm in equal measure. Meanwhile, Daniel Rigby is the frantic hotel manager who turns the Magnificent, in its riot of red and pink colouring, into a cross between Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel and Fawlty Towers. There is a decent amount to work on here – but also much to admire.
9 / 10
Designer Lizzie Clachan gives us overarching talons, nightmare fantasies and box-of-tricks physical sets, but the show’s muted colour palette gets a bit boring. Standout songs include Luke’s Ready to Go, the Grand Witch’s insinuating hymn to childlessness Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Gran’s When I Was Young and the irresistible clap-along Get up, sung by Helga (Jersey Blu Georgia on opening night) and the younger cast members. There are occasional lacunae here but this is a polished, witty, crisply sardonic serving of Dahl. And if the other child actors sharing the central roles are as good as the ones I saw, they deserve all the plaudits.
All new production clips have been released from Roald Dahl's The Witches, now playing at the National Theatre in London. Check out the videos here!
Read the reviews for The Witches at The National Theatre.
I'm sure there will be more than a few sighs of relief down the corridors of the National Theatre at the deservedly raptuous reception for The Witches, the latest attempt to bring a hit show to the stage at this lucrative time of year. 'We're not women, we're hell' is not a line you would expect at a family show, but Lyndsey Turner's production combines exuberant fun, quick-witted comedy and a positive attitude towards death to produce an entralling, clever and incredibly funny production.
Tickets From £56 for the National Theatre's The Witches
