Frozen Junior

I’ve never seen a junior production of Frozen before and having seen the West End version, I was excited to see how it translates to the junior amateur stage. Amazingly, you can do Frozen in sixty minutes without losing the key story and songs.

As I arrived at the Village Hall, I was delighted to see the JR Light & Sound van, knowing Jamie was on the case. The lighting and sound were indeed excellent, as expected. Jamie’s use of a fake snow machine, pumping out soap suds at every appropriate moment, was a particularly nice touch!

Speaking with Becky Smith (Director) and Carol Hebberd (Producer) before the show, I learned that the total cast comprised about 35 people, with each of the six performances featuring all the cast members aged 7 to 17. The main roles alternated in each show to give more people the opportunity to shine. This is community/youth theatre at its best, providing a platform for many to develop their love of and skills for theatre. For this performance, I saw “Cast A.” Apologies to “Cast B” – I’m sure you were equally impressive!

The show opened with the entire cast singing “Let the Sun Shine On” and introducing the townsfolk. The bright costumes and simple scenery created a charming tableau befitting of the icy scenes that would follow. Although it was a very crowded stage and I couldn’t see everything, the directorial choice to involve everyone was appropriate given the group’s aim and the number of participants. The ensemble performed well throughout, with smooth entrances and exits despite the challenging layout of the hall. Considering this was the fifth of six runs for many of them, their energy levels were impressive, and they all seemed to be having an amazing time. I particularly enjoyed the “Hygge” song – well done!

Young Anna (Georgie Dewsbury) and Elsa (Poppie Duffield) emerged from the crowd at the start of the show with boundless energy and enthusiasm, setting a vibrant tone for the rest of the performance. The transition to middle Anna (Eve Morris) and Elsa (Jessica Smith) during “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” worked well,  maintaining the high energy of their younger counterparts. The adult versions of Anna (Emily Ashton) and Elsa (Brooke Ashton) continued this trend admirably. While all the Annas and Elsas performed well, there were a few tuning issues in some duets and on higher notes, but these did not detract from their overall performance. Very good acting through song. I found the choice of accents puzzling. The switch from English in the spoken parts to American in the singing was initially distracting, though I eventually got used to it.

Other standout performances included Kristoff (Arison Martin) and his sidekick Sven (Chloe Hind), who both commanded the stage with humour and charm. Olaf (Charlie Lake) was brilliant, clearly having studied the movie to deliver the lovable character we all expected. Hans (Shane Gray) was convincing as the romantic interest and I enjoyed his duet with Anna. The Duke of Weselton (Bryony Lenton) also shone in a well-played character role.

My final thoughts return to Georgie Dewsbury. After playing the young Anna, she transitioned back into the ensemble, yet my eyes were continually drawn to her. Georgie possesses undeniable stage presence and is definitely one to watch!’

There was so much talent on that stage and doing Frozen in 60 minutes is no mean feat. I really enjoyed the show and came out smiling and uplifted for the rest of my day. Well done to all the cast, crew and the many volunteers that helped make this show a success.

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