King Weekly Sentinel
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Export date: Thu Mar 28 8:38:20 2024 / +0000 GMT

Stratford’s Little Women a relevant contemporary tale




By Alex HP

We are the authors of our own stories.
That message is clear in Little Women, on stage at the Stratford Festival.


Adapted for stage by Jordi Mand, the production is a great updated version of the classic.
Aspiring writer Jo March and her sisters, Meg, Beth, and Amy, do their best to make ends meet as they navigate the road to adulthood. The girls are held together by bonds of loyalty and love. Each of their journeys poses the same universal question: How do you find your own path?


Stratford's rendition adds such a tasteful flare to that original story line that focuses on the importance of sisterhood, and leaving the nest.
Originally published in two volumes, one in 1868, and one in 1869, Little Women mirrored the family life of author Louisa May Alcott, and how she and her sisters grew to be such unique and spirited women together.


Little Women is extremely well directed. The modern accents allow the audience to connect more with the dynamics of the relationships growing on stage.
Protagonist Allison Edwards-Crewe, who plays Jo March, set the tone for an uplifting experience, as she spoke with great passion, enthusiasm, and excitement.
The costumes are immaculate – the vibrant colours, sparkles and glitter used for the first choreographed dance truly captured how “today is a day for love.”
The red-striped, cropped blazer and matching long skirt Jo wore when she left home was perfect.
The tale flows well, revealing how things change as we enter new phases of our lives. As a woman in today's society, it means you have to own your own path and be committed.
The sisters Beth (Brefny Caribou), Meg (Verónica Hortigüela) and Amy (Lindsay Wu) work well together and are quite endearing.


So many things make us who we are and help us take our next steps in life's journey. “What if life's not the same after this”? Should the “sharp tongue” really stay at home? The answers given on stage were quite clear – “together” is how we get through it.
At times it seamed as if the chemistry of some of the character relationships were a little rushed and underdeveloped compared to the original story line. But the key themes and takeaways from the overall story remained consistent. We must look inside ourselves for the answers that will guide us towards our paths, and with the love and support of our family, we can move mountains, and our voices will speak volumes.
The final spotlight on Jo and the book she wrote-reflected perfectly on how we ought to write and own our story, live by it, and always remember where we come from, and who we have by our sides along the way.
The final costume change in the final scene was perfect, as all the sisters changed back into their childhood clothes after having “grown up” throughout the play. It reminds us admiring viewers we are as we once were, and can take this with us, wherever we go.


Little Women does Alcott proud. It runs through October at the Avon Theatre.
For times and tickets, visit https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/

Excerpt: We are the authors of our own stories. That message is clear in Little Women, on stage at the Stratford Festival. Adapted for stage by Jordi Mand, the production is a great updated version of the classic.
Post date: 2022-07-27 13:41:09
Post date GMT: 2022-07-27 17:41:09

Post modified date: 2022-09-14 15:52:08
Post modified date GMT: 2022-09-14 19:52:08

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