RED at Chickenshed Review
Written by Steph for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Chickenshed Theatre’s festive production this year is a bold and spirited reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood, transforming the classic tale into a contemporary winter adventure full of warmth, humour and incredible heart. Leaving their cosy city life to stay with their grandmother up in the snowy mountains, Red and her siblings find that a mysterious wolf is supposedly terrorising the town. All is not as it seems however, so it is up to Red to stop the evil from triumphing and to ensure that good trumps all.
Directed by Michael Bossisse, Bethany Hamlin, Cara McInanny and Jonny Morton, have created a phenomenal show where the parts equally form a fantastic creation. The cast are numerous and captivating to watch. Each performer gives 100% to create a show that enthrals all of the audience with their wit and sheer joy. This show also uses a rotating cast of five different groups, so that all of their performers have a chance to shine. Each performer gave a standout performance but it is difficult to include all in this review. Several particularly memorable performances include Grandma (Cara McInanny) with her delightfully glorious villainy and brilliant high energy singing and the Wolf (Michael Bossisse), whose tender and heartfelt performance brings new depth and sincerity to the misunderstood character. Chester the Butler (Sebastian Ross) was a hilarious addition who had the audience in stitches throughout, as did the hapless woodsman (Ashley Driver) who knows both nothing and everything.
The choreography of over 200 performers on stage at varying points was phenomenal. Every cast member was fluid and seamless and this is a definite highlight of the show. One of the most beautiful strengths of this show is its seamless inclusion of BSL throughout by several performers. This accessibility extends also to equal opportunities for older and younger performers on stage so that everyone had a chance to shine.
Andrew Caddies’ set is truly immersive and brilliantly shifts throughout to represent the forest, the town and grandmother’s home well. It is beautifully rich in design without overwhelming and the lighting design works well to create an impressive and fantastical world on stage. The show is driven by Dave Carey’s lively musical direction, featuring songs that push the story forward with energy and charm. Numbers such as Born Evil are guaranteed to have audiences dancing in their seats. Phil Haines sound design worked well to create a magical atmosphere for the children in the audience. Emma Gale’s costume design was ingenious, especially for the wolf and grandma and worked well to add fun and warmth to this show. The themes of love and care towards others, triumphing over evil, the perils of listening to fear and using your own mind to find truth and community were powerfully rendered throughout. This is a truly fantastic and inclusive show that anyone from three to ninety nine will love and cheer for.
The pacing of the show is balanced and fast, with each act taking place over the course of one hour and a twenty-minute interval. This worked well to keep both children and adults engaged and every individual in the audience was completely spellbound by the performances. There is a wonderful balance of songs, sung by the majority of the cast with a few solos, and acting so that this show feels fun but not overstimulating to the audience.
This is a truly incredible winter show that all children and adults will adore. It is a fun reimagining with a strong message of hope and kindness. Red is a truly enthralling show to entertain you on bleak December nights. If you enjoy feisty heroines, amazing songs, fantastic villains, incredible sets and dance sequences or are searching for a joyful family time at the theatre then this is the show for you.
Running until 10th January 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
