The other day my 5 year old tried, with limited success, to recount the plot line of a famous fairy tale. I realized that, in all my interest in choosing books for her that have modern messages and diversity, we have almost completely neglected the old-fashioned Grimms and Hans Christian Anderson style of stories, which made up a huge part of my childhood literary devotion. It turns out that Oscar Wilde – he of the many well known witticisms – wrote a collection of fairy tales in the classic style, and we had the pleasure of delving into some of them in Tall Stories’ musical adaptation Wilde Creatures, currently at the Sydney Opera House after a run on London’s West End.
An ensemble of four actor-musicians introduce us to a town where people are hungry and fun is discouraged by a rich, foolish mayor. The mayor has torn down an old statue in order to erect a one of himself. The townsfolk have one hour to come up with a better idea of who might be memorialized in a new statue, and in a series of three stories, come up with propositions for the audience to consider.
The virtue of friendship is suggested, with a story about a miller who thinks he is a good friend, yet is anything but. Knowledge is shown through a scholar who knows a lot about books, but nothing of life and love. And, beauty is a princess who never learned compassion. In each of these stories, the character with the proposed virtue turns out not to be the real hero, but rather we are moved by the actions of a humble companion whose quiet sacrifices go mostly unnoticed. A true friend, a selfless nightingale who believes in love, and a wild boy with a pure nature are the characters with the qualities to be lauded, though they are not the ones who would normally be cast in precious metal on the town square.
The stories are performed in vibrant storytelling style, with the cast moving from character to character, creating rich scenes with a few props, a lot of humour, and lively music (the cast plays violin, bass, guitar, clarinet, accordion, and percussion). If you remember your fairy tales from childhood, you won’t be surprised to know that each of these stories do take a serious turn – much darker than we often see in children’s theatre; but, themes of sadness and death are handled sensitively, with emotional honesty by the actors. Wilde’s stories are rich with morality, and the idea that we are often quick to celebrate the wrong things. Children will have no trouble discerning who the real heroes are.
Going to these heavier places gives Wilde Creatures a gravitas that pays off so beautifully in the end, when the mayor and his town come up with the most perfect solution to the statue problem. We are invited to share in the town’s joy that the real virtues worth celebrating win out in the end.
*We attended Wilde Creatures as guests of the Sydney Opera House. Opinions are entirely ours.*
Wilde Creatures is on at the Sydney Opera House through 14 July and at Riverside Parramatta from 19 – 21 July. It is recommended for ages 5+.