Writer-director Emma Rice’s modern take on the Blue Beard folk story – playing at Home until 24 February – is a powerful tale about reclaiming the narrative.
French folktale Blue Beard, first published in 1697, tells the story of a wealthy man whose six wives “mysteriously” vanished and served as a cautionary tale of curious women who disobeyed their husbands.
Writer and director of Wise Children theatre company Emma Rice reimagines this historic narrative with the aim of “breathing life into the women he tried to control”.
As the audience found their seats, a huddle of gingham-clad cast members wearing novelty glasses graced the stage. I wondered if we should be talking when the lights suddenly dropped and a shrill whistle confirmed that the show had indeed begun.
Here we meet the Convent of the Three F’s – fearful, f**ked and furious – led by feisty and witty Mother Superior (Katy Owen).
Accompanied by original music by Stu Barker, it soon becomes an all-singing, all-dancing cabaret, complete with high energy pop songs, the cast donning musical instruments and a good sprinkling of humour throughout.
In Act One, we meet freedom-seeking, fun-loving sibling duo Lucky (Robyn Sinclair) and Trouble (Stephanie Hockley), whose newly widowed mother (Patrycja Kujawska) encourages them to spread their wings and indulge their youthful curiosity after their father’s death.
The sisters encounter a charming, blue-bearded magician (Tristan Sturrock) who has a knack for making things – and women – disappear. An eager Lucky gets sawn in half on stage and a dangerously seductive spell is cast.
Blue Beard and Lucky married almost immediately – despite her family’s initial concerns – and enjoyed a lustful, hedonistic honeymoon period of dancing, disco balls and overindulgence.
Treasure and Trouble are invited to join the newlyweds in their life of luxury. As Blue Beard goes away on business, the remaining trio take full advantage of the opportunity to escape their familial grief for a little while.
It was a jovial affair with the audience clapping along to catchy tunes as the tipsy ladies partied the night away in clown costumes, satin underwear and sparkly capes.
But as Act Two began, it quickly became apparent that this newfound fantasy life was going to come at a great cost.
The mood switched as dark threads of coercive control and domestic violence were woven into the story and the intensity of what lay ahead began to unfold.
The show’s strapline of ‘Open the Bloody Door’ came into play as Blue Beard’s true nature – along with the skeletons in his closet – was revealed to his new bride and a dramatic battle ensued.
Alongside the main narrative runs a modern Lost Brother and Lost Sister subplot. The Lost Brother (Adam Mirsky) stumbles upon the Convent of the Three F’s and asks them for help in finding his Lost Sister (Mirabelle Gremaud).
Mirsky’s story about music-loving Gremaud unravels slowly throughout, as do periodic stark warnings in the form of loud whistle blows by Mother Superior reminding us all to “wake the f**k up”.
In an urgent, icy cold plot twist, the audience was jolted back to reality.
The Lost Boy and Lost Sister storyline hit a sobering crescendo and a surprise character reveal ends the show in the most heartbreaking of ways. The room was engulfed by an uncomfortable silence, pierced with the occasional unstifled sob from the audience.
Rice’s powerful tale is one about walking each other home, reclaiming the narrative and remembering our lost sisters.
Blue Beard runs at HOME, Manchester, from 13 to 24 February. Tickets and further details can be found here.
Feature image: Blue Beard’s Lucky (Robyn Sinclair) Treasure (Patrycja Kujawska) and Trouble (Stephanie Hockley) © Steve Tanner
