When a wicked witch steals all the familiar happy endings from children’s fairy tales, causing tears at bedtime all over the world, Jub uses her strength and creativity to rewrite some alternative happily ever afters in gold pen on the night sky.
And in this ‘new normal’, Hansel and Gretel escape from their own witch to open a vegan restaurant, Snow White doesn’t marry the prince, but goes to live with the seven dwarves to study forestry and long-nosed liar Pinocchio becomes the prime minister (cue raucous laughter from the audience).
Narrated by Joanna Lumley and based on a children’s book by former poet laureate and MMU contemporary poetry professor Carol Ann Duffy, The Lost Happy Endings is a new piece of dance theatre from Newcastle-based balletLORENT.
Billed as a family friendly venture, the show still has plenty to offer to curious adults without children and is a feminist, gender-blind (dancer Gavin Coward plays a gorilla, a tree and Sleeping Beauty) and thoroughly 2021 retelling of some classic tales.
With costumes by fashion designer Nasir Mazhar, who has dressed FKA Twigs, Madonna and Lady Gaga and a score by Murray Gold (Doctor Who/ Shameless/ Gentleman Jim/ Queer As Folk), the show delivers not only progressive ideas, heightened emotions and giggles, but also a visual and sonic feast.
Liv Lorent, artistic director, balletLORENT, said: “The Lost Happy Endings is our most topical work to date.
“It is a tale of the importance of creative spirit, invention, and endeavour – certainly, something we all need as we adapt to new realities.”
Carol Ann Duffy, who collaborated with the company to rewrite her story for the stage, said: “Both as a poet and as a parent I’ve always loved revisiting and retelling our traditional myths and fairytales.
“As we have developed the story, we found we weren’t only dealing with the lost happy endings, but also the alternative middles.”
balletLORENT premiered The Lost Happy Endings at Northern Stage, Newcastle, in October 2019, but were only able to complete one date of their national tour in February 2020 before the pandemic hit and they were forced to cancel.
The production follows a trio of critically acclaimed fairy tale reboots: the award winning Rapunzel (2012-2014), Snow White (2015- 2016), and Rumpelstiltskin (2017-2018).
The Lost Happy Endings is co-produced by Northern Stage and commissioned by Sadler’s Wells.
The Lost Happy Endings
The Lowry, Friday 22 October 7pm / Saturday 23 October 2pm & 7pm
For tickets: thelowry.com/whats-on/the-lost-happy-endings/
T: 0343 208 6000
