Review of Carrie's War, Apollo Theatre
Kacey 'Little Mo' Ainsworth and Prunella Scales star in this lavish stage adaptation of Nina Bawden's classic children's novel
25 June 2009
Rating: 2/5
This adaptation of Nina Bawden’s classic children’s novel got rave reviews when it premiered at Sadler’s Wells three Christmases ago, but it left me wishing I’d stayed at home and read the book instead.
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Twelve-year-old Londoner Carrie and her younger brother Nick are evacuated to Wales during the war, and are billeted with hypocritical tyrant Councillor Evans (Siôn Tudor Owen) and his timid sister Lou (EastEnders’ Kacey Ainsworth, revisiting Little Mo with a dodgy Valleys accent).
The glorious and vast set dominates proceedings to a fault: with so much to move, scenes end too suddenly, like jokes without a punchline. The charming array of characters befriended by Carrie and Nick spend much of their time picking their way around it, spelling out magic visually rather than inspiring the imagination. Prunella Scales takes her dying rich widow to heart, and is barely audible as a result.
Despite great acting from Sarah Edwardson as Carrie and Amanda Symonds as a delightful clairvoyant, there’s just not enough oomph to make this classic classy.
To 12 September, Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7EZ, 0870 890 1101
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