After a long hiatus from the drama barn, it was with great enthusiasm that I re-entered through those famed doors- and by the way, it was warm inside. Let’s enter the forest.
The staging and set, stand as one of the most charming and fascinating sets that the Drama Barn has witnessed. It deserves its own plaudits, and it shall get it. The production team have done an incredible job in turning a black box into a captivating, immersive and beautiful set. The delicacy and intricacy of the painting is entrancing and provides the audience with a wealth of aesthetic beauty that creates the magical and dreamlike ambience that the play hopes to achieve. The lighting was extensive and effective and the utilisation of the disco ball by Shaun McCreery in the second act, has completely altered my knowledge of the limits of a disco ball. It isn’t just there to get funky to. Adding to this mystical ambience was the music composed by Odinn Hilmarsson. Not in any position to properly critique music, all I can say was that it aided the directors creation in a wholly beneficial way and I
liked it.
Undoubtedly, what can be said about this production, was that Georgina Harris has created an endearing and sentimental story that many freshers will be able to empathise with. The story is simple. We follow Little One, played by Amy Milton, through the forest watching her encounter an eclectic mix of forest animals, struggling to find herself but eventually gaining support from those around her to make her realise that she is a strong and equally wise addition to the forest. Amy Hilton’s performance was a tricky one to judge. With no discredit to her as an actress, as her role was demanding and required the mastering of an extensive script, at times I felt as though she was struggling to create her own character and was herself lost in finding own identity. This was mainly due to the fact that she is playing out the experiences of the director and writer, and thus struggled to interpret the character herself whilst also doing the writer justice. The quintessential British animals that we come across, are themselves real people that Georgia Harris encountered in her first term at University. The Red Squirrel, performed by Harry Whittaker, is friendly and wise and creates the solid foundations of a friendship with Little one. Zoe Biles who played Robin, acted as a sharp but friendly face with a deeply maternal and loving disposition. Her relationship to Fox, acted by Diederik Van Wersch, was amusing in parts. Sporting an athletic body embellished by brilliant body paint, (kudos to Claire Drury and Georgia Harris for the makeup and Julie Harris for the costumes) Mungo performed his role as the Fallow Deer with conviction and beauty.
The actors did well to bring to life a script that was often limited and simple. With characters lacking development, as an audience member it was often hard at times to see beyond the moral signposting. Perhaps this could be improved before it heads up to Scotland. Credit must go to the design team. Without ‘badgering’ on, they really did transform the barn, and if you need convincing to go and see this play, the beauty of the barn alone will make your visit worthwhile. A play that is sweet and gentle, Georgia Harris’s Forest will take you for a serene journey through her experiences of first year.