The Witches

Guy Edmonds. Image by Brett Boardman. 

‘Does this have anything to do with Wicked?’

The gentleman overheard in the audience at Malthouse Theatre’s latest production of The Witches was referring to the Broadway blockbuster currently playing a return season at The Regent. The former is an opulent and loud musical spectacular; the latter a fast paced one-man interpretation of Roald Dahl’s beloved family classic. I’ve seen both shows and I know which one I’ll be rushing out to see again.

This joyous production had its genesis at NIDA and was then produced at The Griffin Theatre in Sydney before moving south. Marion Potts and Malthouse Theatre should be commended for programming this production into their 2014 season; it is quite simply theatrical magic.

The Beckett Theatre has been rearranged so that two seating banks flank the central performance space that contains little more than a trunk and a hanging sheet. Actor Guy Edmonds sits on the trunk as the audience enters before making a swift exit as the house lights dim. He re-enters the performance space and addresses the audience, signaling the beginning of this 50-minute whirlwind of comedy, movement and transformation.

Edmonds plays all the characters in the story with astonishing skill and breathtaking versatility. From the sweet central narrator, Boy, his chain-smoking Norwegian Grandmother and through to the rapacious Bruno and terrifying Grand High Witch, Edmonds brings each personality to life right before our eyes. There are some influences from the film version of The Witches throughout, especially in the accent of The Grand High Witch, but for the most part Edmonds makes each character distinctly his own. His shape-shifting abilities are incredibly entertaining and Edmonds clearly has a strong command over his physical and vocal abilities, changing each accordingly with a swiftness and assuredness that has to be seen to be believed.

There are no sets and no costumes. Armed with a few simple objects (a toothbrush, some string, a cooking pot etc.) the entire world of Roald Dahl’s classic story is brought to vivid life. We see the horrible transformation from boy to mouse, we witness a frenzied chase around the seaside hotel setting and we can smell the soup coming out of the kitchen towards the end of the show. Lucas Jervies’ clear direction and Sian James Holland’s focused lighting design assist in ensuring that the audience is always aware of where we are and which character we are encountering at all times.There are also a couple of wonderful prop reveals which I won’t spoil here, but had the many children attending this performance squealing with delight.

The Witches is a stellar example of simple theatrical storytelling at its best. The audience is asked to partake in a game of imagination and wonder guided by the steady hands of a performer and a creative team all working towards the same goal of enchanting and entertaining the audience. It’s also a cracking one-man-show that showcases Guy Edmonds’ many talents and considerable charm as a performer. You can keep your levitating green-skinned Broadway divas; I’ll take an inquisitive little boy who turns into a mouse over her any day.