Winter Doesn’t Last Forever

The Snow Queen – Filament Theatre

 

There’s a chill in the air along with a generous sprinkling of magic that’s heralding change and the arrival of a new holiday season. Through Hans Christian Andersen’s enchanted fairy tale, faithfully adapted by Tyler J. Monroe, family audiences will lose themselves in this wintery story about two deeply devoted friends, a vain, evil Queen and a magic mirror. It’s a tale filled with a colorful array of memorable supporting characters, including an evil troll, a tough robber girl, a helpful raven, a prince and princess, an old sorceress and a talking Reindeer. 

This journey, or quest story, begins with six talented actors welcoming the audience into the warmth of their living room. The cast opens the 60-minute play with a holiday song; then the two grandparent characters begin spinning Andersen’s tale of deep affection and eternal devotion. We meet Gerda and her neighboring friend, Kai, two devoted playmates whose love for each other blossoms as the children tend their little window box rose garden together. Then we’re introduced to an evil Goblin who mischievously steals a magic mirror belonging to the Snow Queen. Accidentally he drops it and two shards of glass fly through the air, piercing the eye and heart of young Kai, causing him to turn cruel and cold. 

Beginning in the summertime, the seasons gradually change and the weather grows colder. The Grandmother tells the children that snowflakes will soon begin to fall and it’s because the Snow Queen is traveling through the land, on the way to her ice palace. While he’s sledding, the cold monarch of the Northland approaches Kai and kisses him twice, numbing him from the cold and making him forget his past. Then the Snow Queen invites him to join her in her magic sleigh, whereupon they set off for her ice palace. When Gerda discovers that Kai is missing she begins searching for her best friend. Along the way she meets a host of unusual characters who help Gerda in her quest to find and rescue Kai.

“The Snow Queen” is the longest of the many fairy tales written by Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen. He’s the author of such well-known stories as “The Little Mermaid,” “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” and his most autobiographical work, “The Ugly Duckling.” Published in 1844, Andersen’s highly acclaimed tale centers around the eternal struggle between good and evil. In addition to being the inspiration for countless adaptations on film, TV, dance, opera, and in other stories (The White Witch in the Narnia novels may have been inspired by Andersen’s fairy tale), “The Snow Queen” has also been dramatized for the stage many times. It was even the motivation for Disney’s film and stage musical, “Frozen.” 

Tyler J. Monroe’s delightful new version, developed at the American Repertory Theatre by the production’s director, Allegra Libonati, returns to Andersen’s original story while streamlining the plot. This endearing play draws both young and old into the magical, wintery world of Gerda, Kai and the evil Snow Queen. Before the play begins, children are encouraged to make paper snowflakes and roses, which they’ll help incorporate into the performance. The kids may elect to either sit in chairs, along with their adult companions, or on comfy pillows, up close to the playing area. 

In true Filament Theatre fashion, this cleverly creative production becomes totally immersive. It features colorful, ethnically evocative costumes, by Noel Huntzinger; gigantic, imaginative puppets, by Andrew Marchetti (who also plays the Goblin and other characters); a versatile scenic design, by Amy Gilman, that goes from a cozy living room to the icy Tundra; and glorious sound and lighting designs, by Michael Huey and Carley Walker. The production also makes great use of yards of various fabrics to represent the wind, the Queen’s sleigh, a river, the snowy landscape and even the Northern Lights.

Allegra Libonati’s guided her talented six-member cast with great energy and empathy for her audience. The actors earnestly welcome their young audience to enter into the story. They brilliantly create dozens of characters who breathe life into Andersen’s story of friendship. Golden-throated Sonia Goldberg is sweet, brave and sincere as Gerda; boyishly handsome Nico Fernandez is plucky and playful as Kai, along with several other characters; and Kristin Hammargren is properly majestic and commanding as the selfish, coldhearted Snow Queen. The rest of Andersen’s huge cast of characters are played by the gifted Sarah Hecht, Rejinal Simon and, as mentioned, versatile actor and puppeteer Andrew Marchetti. This is one cast that absolutely lives up to the definition of an ensemble.

At one point, the Grandmother in the play comforts Kai and Gerda by telling them that winter doesn’t last forever. Spring will come again, warming the earth and causing new things to grow again. The flowers will bloom and the birds will sing and life will go on, as before. That also goes for true friendship. Throughout the bad times, the good days will once again return and friendships will prevail, as long as love and devotion survives. This is the message that youngsters will take away from this wonderful production, a perfect production for the holidays.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas  

 

Presented November 10-December 23 by Filament Theatre, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 773-270-1660 or by going to www.filamenttheatre.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.