Blue Beard – Birmingham REP

Writer and Director: Emma Rice

If you know the French folk tale of Bluebeard, you’ll know it’s a pretty gruesome affair, with a thoroughly unpleasant central character, Bluebeard, and a succession of dead wives. A key moment is when he forbids his latest wife not to enter a certain room while placing temptation in her way. And being weak, she of course gives in to temptation unleashing consequences on herself and those close to her. Victim shaming much? And it’s not as if that were a new phenomenon even when the original tale was set.

Blue Beard is Emma Rice and her Wise Children company’s take on this tale, exploring themes of consent, victim shaming and domestic violence. And if you’re familiar with their work since the inception of Wise Children in 2017, you’ll know that any adaptation of theirs is unlikely to be straightforward, and so it turns out.

In this version, the tale of Blue Beard initially has some of the sting taken out by the device of making it a story-within-a-story, as told to a young man who stumbles on quite the weirdest convent you’re ever likely to come across. In return for their story, he is required to offer his. There’s stylised movement, songs, laugh-out-loud humour and the occasional smashing of the fourth wall as the stories are told and acted out. Yet there’s always a queasy undercurrent even among the bright lights and stage chicanery. After the interval, there’s a change in atmosphere and the whole becomes darker and more oppressive with excellent use of movement as the tales play out before an increasingly tense and rapt auditorium.

The set design from Vicki Mortimer is deceptively simple, keeping our attention as curtains open and close and elements move in and out with always a surprise for us – the backstage crew makes a considerable, and largely invisible, contribution to keep everything moving smoothly and is brought on to take a well-deserved bow at the end. The design is enhanced by Malcolm Rippeth’s lighting design and the music of Stu Barker. Etta Murfitt’s choreography and movement direction complement Rice’s vision perfectly as our emotions are skillfully manipulated.

A central figure is the convent’s Mother Superior (Katy Owen) – she’s a loud, unconventional character who drives the story along, all the time hidden behind her own mask. She acts as narrator to Adam Mirsky’s slightly lost and perplexed visitor. Mirsky’s bewilderment as he experiences the Blue Beard story and recounts his own is well painted. While Tristan Sturrock portrays Blue Beard with clear menace, loping around the stage like a barely caged animal, he never strays into melodrama making all of his actions all the more chilling. Robyn Sinclair brings us Lucky, his latest wife, with Patrycja Kujawska and Stephanie Hockley as her mother and sister respectively: they show us a family reacting to its own tragedy as well as dealing with Blue Beard and his machinations. Mirabelle Grimaud brings us a wannabe singer with all the self-confidence and front that that requires.

The entire ensemble cast is multi-skilled: the acting, even when over-the-top, is relatable, the movement and dance disciplined and many also play instruments. This leads to a harmonious whole that floods our senses throughout.

Rice is both adaptor and director and continues at the top of her game as she leads a strong team and cast. Blue Beard is a piece of beauty and wonder that is visually magnificent while also stirring up emotions including rightful rage in those watching. See it while you can.

Runs until 20 April 2024 and on tour