It’s impossible to go to an Emma Rice production without expectations. Her style uses cabaret techniques of music, dance and song to explore complex themes, using folk stories and what Rice calls ‘Wonder Tales.’ Folk stories represent humankind’s deepest fears and the darkness which hides within our psyches. Since Rice needs to express contemporary issues and fears, where better to go in her exploration of violence against women than to The Tale of Bluebeard, with the codicil: open the bloody door.

By Angie Millard

Photos by Steve Tanner

True to Wise Children (Rice’s company), she uses entertainment and the skills of her trade as a vehicle to prepare us for the underlying issues. Her cast is a multi-talented ensemble who create the show using three narratives. Firstly, there is the tale of Bluebeard: a representative fiction of female abuse. Secondly, a story of a brother and sister and thirdly, a chorus of Sisters of the convent of the three Fs ( Fearful, Fucked and Furious). All bases are covered here.

The play is staged as a musical with composer and M.D. Stu Barker working throughout the conception of the piece with Emma Rice. Bluebeard, the murdering husband, slickly played by Tristan Sturrock, is seen as a sinister Magician. Robyn Sinclair is his besotted bride Lucky who, when given the opportunity to look into the locked room, ‘opens the bloody door’. Inside are the bodies of Bluebeard’s previous wives. She is saved by her sister(Stephanie Hockley) and her mother (Patrycja Kujawska) who initially come to party in the castle and later return to save her life.

The subplots of siblings (Adam Mirsky and Mirabelle Gremaud) and the sisters of the convent of the Three F’s provide the way through to the main message of the show. They work as a comic and formidable gang led by the blue-bearded Mother Superior (Katy Owen). Her performance is integral to the piece as she plays the role of chief narrator. She is constantly moving and animated as she cracks jokes and denigrates men.

After the interval the fun really begins. The previous cabaret atmosphere is overtaken by the avenging women who, with exquisitely choreographed slo-mo violence, destroy Bluebeard. 

This is followed by the conclusion of the story of the brother and sister. A huge projection shows footage of sister’s walk home alone, followed by a stalking male figure. Brother and mother of the girl blame themselves for not accompanying her but the message remains ‘we should all be able to walk home alone without fear’. 

The night I went to York Theatre Royal, a police investigation into the facts surrounding Sarah Everard’s death concluded (far too late) that Wayne Couzins should never have been allowed to be a police officer and abuse his powers. Emma Rice also cites the case of Zara Aleena who was just walking home when she was attacked and murdered.

The play ends movingly as the cast slowly gathers to hold hands in a line of solidarity. After all, it is only through mutual support that we can keep each other safe. 

Bluebeard is a co-production between Birmingham Rep, Home Manchester, The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and York Theatre Royal. It is being performed at York Theatre Royal between 28 February and 9 March.

Creatives:

Director – Emma Rice

Composer – Stu Barker

Choreographer – Etta Murfit

Costume – Vicki Mortimer

Sound and video – Simon Baker

Lighting Designer – Malcolm Rippeth

Music Director – Stephanie Hockley

Music supervision and arrangement – Ian Ross