Following on from the New Vic Theatre's adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'The Haunting' earlier this year, while 'The Company of Wolves' is not a horror story as such, it certainly has its heart racing moments!
Filled with breathtaking choreography, fast-paced acrobatics and a highly skilled ensemble, the actors (wolves) appear to effortlessly weave the story through mesmerising movement and physical theatre.
The first act will have you on the edge of your seat, as suspense is cleverly created through the powerful use of pauses and music/sound effects.
'The Company of Wolves' (edited from Angela Carter's radio play and short story) has chilling moments that will give you goosebumps as you witness members of the cast flinging themselves up and down poles - leaping, twirling and flipping - however it is all woven together brilliantly to create a masterclass worth seeing!
This performance incorporates many aspects of theatre such as radio, mime, dialogue, storytelling and circus. Nevertheless, it is all intertwined so seamlessly that it is a joy to experience as each feature flows smoothly onto the next.
Contrary to the New Vic's usual array, there is little extravagance of costume, but the simple congruous grey provides a striking contrast to the blood red of Riding Hood's coat.
Throughout the performance an occasional joke is thrown in here and there to lighten the mood, however this comedy felt misplaced in such a grave retelling.
I felt that the final scene began to drag a little as it lasted a long time with much of the same, however special mention must go to Sebastian Charles for his spectacular performance of the Gentleman in the Woods, as you witness the convincing struggle of him trapped between man and beast.
Every actor played their part in drawing you into the world of the story, as realistic facial expressions and reactions to shocking events were evident across the entire cast.
Overall, it was an enthralling performance with an interesting twist to your traditional Little Red Riding Hood fairytale, and if you're into a good thriller then it's definitely for you! Four stars.
(I viewed this performance on Tuesday the 8th of October 2024) (The run for 'The Company of Wolves' has now ended, however the New Vic Theatre currently have their Christmas show - 'The Three Musketeers' - running, which you won't want to miss!)
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