Frozen Jr

It was a pleasure to see the Top Box team again, returning to the Greig Hall for their latest production, Frozen Jr.  This is a show that will need little introduction to most people, especially not to its young cast, who clearly relished the chance to step into the magical world of Arendelle and take on the roles of Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and all the rest.  It must have been a challenge to keep the whole cast from singing along throughout! 

Frozen tells the story of sister Princesses Elsa and Anna.  Whilst still a child, Elsa discovers that she magical powers to freeze objects and people, but she is unable to control them, resulting in the two children being separated.  Later, Elsa inherits the throne, but after Anna seeks her blessing to marry the gallant Prince Hans, she accidentally unleashes her powers before the Court.  Elsa flees to the mountains, where she inadvertently causes the kingdom to become frozen in an eternal winter.  It is left to Anna to seek out her reclusive sister, and for a show of true love between the pair to save the day.

Top Box have so many talented youngsters in their ranks that the principal roles were spread across two teams.  On the night of my visit, it was Team Snow in the limelight.  Skye D and Neeyth got the show off to a strong start as the young versions of Elsa and Anna respectively.  With great characterisation and strong singing, especially for ones so young, they made a great early impression. 

Following a brief but effective appearance by Caitlin B and Skye M as the ‘middle’ versions of the same characters, Darci H and Ilana took on the roles for the rest of the show.  They both gave very good performances, showing off strong singing voices and with their characterisations really coming to life in the songs.  Darci looked as if she could have walked straight off the set of a live-action version of Frozen, and took her ‘Let it Go’ opportunity with both hands.  Meanwhile, Ilana carried us with her on Anna’s quest with ease, interacting well with the characters that she meets on her journey.

As Olaf, the snowman come to life, Peggy showed great energy and sang well – her version of ‘In Summer’ to close the first half was a highlight (I loved the colourful shades donned by the whole cast!)  Brody and Phoebe SB formed a good double act as Ice Harvester Kristoff and Sven the reindeer; whilst Louie was a dashing Prince Hans, wooing Anna through song before turning out to be a rotter.  There were nice cameos too from Niamh as Weselton and Tristan as Oaken, showing us all the joy of ‘Hygge’ at the start of the second half. 

Supporting the main cast were a large ensemble, both on and in front of the stage.  They all fully played their part, in particular during the group songs.  Although they all did well, several members of the ensemble really stood out, catching the eye with engaging performances. And it was a delight to see the little posse of youngsters run to their positions in front of the stage for these numbers, each giving their all and revelling in the joy of performance.  Well done to them all. 

The show was directed by Georgie Pearce and Tracy Anne Wright with a clear emphasis on the musical numbers.  This worked effectively, with some good choreography.  In particular, there was some nice ensemble work during the climactic scenes where Anna was frozen – and unfrozen – with members of the cast forming effective tableau to frame the action. 

There were some great backdrops used to illustrate the various settings of the story – I particularly liked the mountainous scenes that accompanied Anna and her friends on their journey to Elsa’s Ice Palace.  Lighting was also used effectively, to enhance the action and to highlight key moments in the story, such as when Elsa’s powers were unleashed. 

Well done to all at Top Box Studios for another very good performance.  What a joy to see these young performers up on stage, living their best lives as they belted out these songs.  And the delight was not limited to the performers, as the reaction of the audience amply demonstrated!  Congratulations, and I look forward to seeing what you have in store for 2024.

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