Howl's Moving Castle at the Southwark Playhouse - A Review

A rather wonderful friend of ours surprised us over Christmas with tickets for a show. Always a lovely present, especially when that show is one you didn't know existed, and in hindsight, would have kicked yourself for not seeing. I'm a big Studio Ghibli fan (isn't everyone?), and when I discovered the show we would be seeing was an interpretation of Howl's Moving Castle, I was rather excited.

The show we were heading to see is actually based on the book (which I am now intending to read, once I've finished the epically long A Clash of Kings) but the story is pretty similar to the film many of us are familiar with. The thing that really got me excited however, were the names involved in the show. A certain Stephen Fry supplied the voice of the Narrator, whilst the music was composed by Fyfe Dangerfield of Guilletmots fame.

So a foundation of decent talent raised my hopes, and to an extent I wasn't disappointed. The show itself is ambitious, with the set leading the charge; an extravagant creation involving projectors, a cut-out castle, and ever-changing scenery. The set worked brilliantly, as did the accompanying music, which flowed with the story and I'd enjoy watching the show again for the soundtrack alone.

Cast-wise however, the show really was a let down. With only three actual actors on stage, they needed to be top-notch, and two of them were. But the actress playing young Sophie/The Witch of the Waste really let the side down, with what was frankly some of the worst acting I've ever seen on stage. Knowing a lot of very talented actors who are struggling to get work, casting like this annoys me. Cast people who can act, not just because they look the part...