Piper
Frenzy Theatre Company presents an all-singing-all-dancing, parodic, satiric retelling – or ‘reimagining’ - of the ‘classic’ 13th century fairytale, The Pied Piper of Hamelin. It has been devised, concocted and assembled by the breath-taking, amazingly all-shapes-and-sizes female and non-binary cast of twenty-four (too many to name here – check the program). There are acrobats, comedians, musicians, singers, dancers (or combinations of all these), and they are by necessity quick-change artists too. All under the guiding hand of the ever-inventive Belle Hansen who, amongst other things, maintains a clear focus on what could have been mayhem.
When we enter the theatre, we are greeted – ‘Welcome to Hamelin’ – by a figure in a white 18th century wig and a frock coat. They will go on to present a spectacularly dim member of the Hamelin Town Council, a body all dressed in the same manner, and which is egregiously flawed in any case… The wigs, the frock coats over ruffles and lacy beribboned knickers are clearly an anachronism, but that’s the point.
The stage itself is the town square, thronging with curious audience members who can, if they wish, grab some headphones for a quick ‘guided tour’. (The suggestive design is by Harry Gill and Jack Burmeister’s music and sound design are excellent.) The square is lined with small businesses (of dubious utility – Tarot readings and the like) and, at the centre, there is a cage filled with rats who writhe, grimace and perform in their captivity. These rats (and there are more, scurrying about) may constitute a plague, but they are, actually and in some ways, rather cute, virtuous and useful. Who knew?
Above the stage, a huge screen shows perpetual advertising – mostly directed at teens – along with warnings and slogans. And just so we don’t miss a word of the quick-fire dialogue – a mix of non sequiturs, banalities and confusion – is projected simultaneously on a smaller screen stage left.
Frenzy’s version of the logline of the original Pied Paper story is too good not to quote: ‘Once upon a time, in a faraway land, some dude with a flute ran an elaborate scam.’ The decision here not to pursue the original story to its end (and its moral) but to do something else entirely is, I must say, momentarily confusing, rather disappointing and something of a failure of Frenzy’s collective imagination. But it is, on reflection, not surprising. The ‘something else’ is presented with the same high energy quality of performance but not perhaps the same level of sharp black comedy. The Piper and his scam just don’t fit Frenzy’s agenda.
Frenzy is much more interested in the powers that be – that is the Town Council - for whom the rats (are they really that bad?) provide a useful distraction from their empty promises, bumbling ineptitude and corruption. Our leaders and the ‘post truth’ Media are the Pied Piper in this scenario. The Media with its seductive siren call continuously misdirects and leads us astray. The Council, all lined up in their white wigs and black coats, are the jolly, on-the-make folks that could have hired the Piper in the first place and then reneged on the deal; they are the elaborate scamsters here.
Indeed, the Town Council scenes are the clearest (and funniest) satire here, especially the po-faced, grammar pedant member who’ll reject a perfectly sensible petition because it is written in pencil. Others are conniving or not even paying attention… Meanwhile, the confused and impotent citizens of Hamelin mill about, indulge in songs, dance routines and acrobatics, and direct their anger at the wrong places. Some rats die, but there seem to be a lot of ‘em still around.
It's interesting, by the way, that there are so many scathing, grumpy, cynical critiques of our government and media around at the moment – especially presented by younger theatre companies. Most recently, The State and The Long Game both at the Explosives Factory. These theatre makers are absolutely clear is their dissatisfaction and rejection – even while being cleverly, knowingly entertaining.
If Piper doesn’t quite match the wit and edge of Frenzy’s 2023 outing – MOTHERLOD-^E – it makes up for that in marvellous, infectious show-biz energy - and the spectacle of twenty-four talented people all on stage at once. Bleak as its message may be, you are assured of a very good time.
Michael Brindley
Photographer: Steven Mitchell Wright
Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.