Well, I didn’t quite lose my head but I have had my mind blown! Welcome back to StagerSideUK and to another review, this time we will be talking about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the UK Tour.
About the show!
With Hallowmas celebrations fast approaching, the residents of Sleepy Hollow spin tall tales of legends and unsightly entities. But who can tell truth from nightmare?
Ichabod Crane enters an eerie world of secrets and unsettling tradition as he arrives in Sleepy Hollow to become the town teacher. While quickly finding friendship with the town patriarch and his spirited daughter, his presence is not wholly welcome.
But not all is as it seems, for Ichabod Crane harbours his own dark secret. He is not in Sleepy Hollow by chance. When disturbing events overwhelm the small town, he finds himself swept up in a dangerous mystery which leaves him doubting his own sanity.
Coronation Street legends Wendi Peters and Bill Ward lead an incredible ensemble in this thrilling new adaptation. Transforming the American Dream into the American Gothic, Sleepy Hollow unleashes one of the most terrifying monsters from the horror canon – the Headless Horseman.
Taking on the role of Ichabod Crane is Sam Jackson (Skins, E4; Beautiful Thing, National Tour) alongside Rose Quentin (York Witches Society, MSR Media), Lewis Cope (Vera, ITV; Witness for the Prosecution, London County Hall) and Tommy Sim’aan (As You Like It, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse; Doctors, BBC).
This production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow goes to the next level. With illusions, a rather clever plot and some scenographic moments that made me happy, this production is brilliant. It really isn’t one to be missed.
The Standout Star!
Photo taken fro Lewis Cope’s Twitter
A stand out star has to be Lewis Cope, who plays Brahms, as well as various other characters. Lewis’ ability to switch characters on the spot is ridiculously smooth. Not only does he participate in a few of the illusions,
A stand out moment for me would have to be the transitions. These provided a nice way through the story, but also set the pace. However, I will say, during the arrival of Crane, there were alot of transitions which seemed to speed the play through, and then there was a long scene which made that scene feel really long. The scene was good but I just found the pacing here a bit jarring.
Aesthetics
The set was quite minimalist with enough spectacle for quiet moments not to be strictly dialogue. Even little things like the lanterns or the bird cage were enough to keep you visually stimulated whilst enjoying the story telling, which was amazing.
Everything in this show was very well thought out. The costumes worked well with the set, which worked well with the lighting design. However, I did kind of want a bit more from some of the costumes. I understand that it is a small cast and they multi-role but I did find some of the characters difficult to identify due to a lack of changes.
ReWatchability!
Overall I do think this show has a good level of rewatchability, which to me is quite important, especially as my local theatre is home to tours who return year after year. I would see this show again maybe before Halloween, but I don’t think I will be going back right away. If I am being honest, the ONLY reason I won’t be returning as soon as possible is because of the volume of the show. The speech is really quiet in comparison to the rather sudden and ridiculously loud sound effects that shook my seat (not exaggerating) I will admit we were sitting close to 3 speakers. I just think some more inventive sound design is needed in this show.
The Rating!
I give this show four out of five stars. The storytelling was brilliant, the cast worked their hardest to entertain a rather empty matinee audience (not a reflection of the show, our local is usually quiet on a midweek matinee). The show was well worked and the use of theatrical elements such as puppetry, illusion and acting techniques were all great. Turn the speaker down, add in a bit more costuming to be able to identify the characters and I think giving the actors a bit more space on stage would make this show feel way more effective and welcoming, yet eerie.
Have your say!
Have you seen The Legend of Sleepy Hollow? What did you think? Is this one to watch over and over again, or is once enough? Let me know in the comments and let’s get a discussion going.
As always, please be respectful of each other’s opinions and be kind to each other. I completely respect and value everyone that worked on this Show. We need to remember that these are people with feelings. Let’s treat them with respect. Bullying will not be tolerated and harmful language will be removed.
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Images featured in this post are from Craig Sugden
A really atmospheric show, really well done and so much suspense built in to the show. A brilliant thriller!