The desire to tell stories, and to listen to them, is one of the quintessential things that makes us human. It is inherent, and no doubt running through all cultures.
In recent years, this fact has been at the heart of many theatre companies, including Theatre Alibi and of course the legendary (and much missed) Kneehigh, with visual engagement, creativity and a poignant message being at the core of their work. The hole left by the closure of Kneehigh has now been somewhat healed for me by the discovery of one of the most original and profound companies I’ve had the pleasure to see: Les Enfants Terribles. And once again it’s at my favourite location for discovering new and inspirational theatre – Leeds Playhouse Courtyard Theatre.
It’s difficult to know where to start when describing the story of ‘The House With Chicken Legs’ as I think if I’d heard the concept before I saw the show, I may have been put off by the absolute randomness of it and my wariness of how it could be produced on stage: so just bear with it and go in with an open mind.
Based on the book of the same name by Welsh author Sophie Anderson, the story revolves around the Slavic myth concerning Baba Yagas, stories that Anderson’s Prussian grandmother used to tell her as a child. Baba Yagas live in a house where the window between live and death resides, where those who have recently deceased visit for a final farewell party, to tell their life story, gain strength for their onward journey and to find an aspect of their life they are grateful for. At the end of the evening they take this final thought with them before they travel through the gate to their final resting place in the stars.
A Yaga’s destiny is to guide these people and work in a bonded union with the house to fulfil their role as guardians of the gate. The house is itself a living entity, with thoughts and feelings and of course, chicken legs, allowing it to stand up and move around the world every few days in order to aid those who need to pass on. In one such house is a young girl, Marinka, a Yaga in training who lives with her Grandmother Baba and who is of course a Yaga herself. But living at the edge of a civilisation in a land which you constantly journey around, where the only company are the recently deceased, is a lonely place for a growing girl. Marinka becomes desperate to rebel against the destiny that has been preordained for her and it is this determination to resist the inevitability that leads her on a journey of self-discovery. The story is a creative take on the human need to explain what might be waiting for us after death, filled with themes of loss, hope and belonging.
Again, when reviewing this production it is difficult to know where to start as every single element was so skilfully thought out, so that this was a truly cohesive and incredibly unique production. Everything was done in order to draw you into the storytelling world, with moments within the play being actual stories within the story. These are the most visually engaging sections, where the use of expertly controlled puppets and beautiful live folk music draw the audience into the heartwarming tales of life and love. The stunning puppets themselves are used throughout the show, with Jack the bird being a main feature, and every element of their performance, from their moving and breathing and other sounds, has been skilfully considered so that the work of the actors is hidden and the magical atmosphere they create help to draw us into the storytelling world.
The use of masks were another highlight for me, their commedia dell’arte style showing those who have died as beings that could be anyone and everyone. Their beauty and slight creepiness instantly made me think of the Mexican festival Dias de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and indeed this festival is referred to later on in Act Two. The set itself is also an element of constant wonder, the moment the house grows chicken legs and starts running a thing of pure genius. A highlight of the show was the sound and crunch the house makes as it stands up and thuds its way over the countryside to find a new home, the atmosphere sending shivers down my spine.
Without a doubt, this is a true ensemble performance. As is becoming increasingly popular in contemporary theatre, all of the six cast members are also talented musicians, performing a whole array of instruments live on stage as they dance and sing at the same time. The standout scenes are ensemble songs, especially the first death party where we see where the lives of the recently dead are revealed to us through hilarious musical stories. My absolute favourite scene is the house dance, where the cast are literally houses that dance, sing and play instruments with such epic comedic timing I was just in disbelief and awe throughout the whole song. The whole cast were stunning, with a consistently fast pace, smooth scene transitions and slick multiroling. A special mention must go to the script writer and co-director Oliver Lansley though, whose one-line jokes were quick-fire and nonstop, bringing frequent ‘laugh out loud’ moments to the show.
Though all the cast were amazing, the standout star of the show was Baba, performed by Lisa Howard, her epic comic timing and sheer energy and stage presence making the performance shine with life whenever she was on. It was probably my all-time favourite performance by any actor. Praise must also be given to Eve De Leon Allen for carrying the story of the show along skilfully with their charming portrayal of Marinka. However, I feel the need to reiterate that this was a true ensemble performance, and everyone of the six cast members was highly talented and a joy to watch.
The only thing to be mindful of is that there are a few moments where the sound balance between band and actors wasn’t right and lines were lost, and in the house dance song it was just so fast in pace that a lot of lines were missed – a shame as the lines that I did catch were brilliantly comedic one liners (they literally had me laughing with tears!). But these are small moments and they might very well be resolved after this opening night.
Overall, this is without a doubt the most unique production I have ever seen. There is something fascinating about the mystery of the journey between life and death that will always capture our interest as humans and this is a most original tale to explain it, which has been matched by an utterly original production. If you liked the film ‘Coco’ you’ll absolutely love this and this is a good guidance on appropriate age for the audience too. It was nice to see a good number of older children at this evening show and it would be a fantastic way to get your young charges engaged with thought-provoking live theatre.
If you would be happy to show them ‘Coco’, which deals with similar issues of death, love and discovery, then absolutely do take them to see this one-of-a-kind show: it will pass on to them a beautiful message of finding your own destiny and accepting who you are. Storytelling is constantly at its heart and it’s nothing short of magical.
The magical The House With Chicken Legs is at The Playhouse’s Courtyard Theatre until 16 September. You can buy tickets here. Really – this is not one to miss.
Cover photograph by Andrew AB Photography.
