Dear Editor,
I had the delight of stumbling across a gem in Langley this past week - the SAMC Theatre at Trinity Western University, and their production of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen. As one of my favorite stories I feel qualified to say, they absolutely do it justice.
The five student actors play nearly 20 roles between them – much more if you count the thieves, demons, flowers, and angels – who make you get misty-eyed one moment, shiver with chills the next, and finally laugh out loud.
Using only a projector for scenery, and a handful of props that each do multiple duties (particularly an empty picture frame that plays a mirror, a hole in the ice, a doorway, and more) they evoke whole worlds, from sunny gardens to icy palaces.
Adult fans of the story will appreciate that the play recreates the entire classic tale narrated almost word for word (somehow in only an hour and a half – maybe because the actors never seem to pause for a breath).
And younger audience members will appreciate how the playwright made the story easy to follow – not to mention the occasional slapstick, references to Frozen, and the possibility of actually being pulled on stage.
What more could you want? The Christmas magic is palpable.
The play is only on until Nov. 30, and tickets can be found online. There isn’t a bad seat in the house.
Ava Reeve, Langley