Whistle Down The Wind

The innocence and hopefulness of children is an endearing and heart warming concept in Whistle Down The Wind.

Based on the 1959 novel by Mary Hayley Bell and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Bill Kenwright’s re-production of Lloyd Webber’s original musical provides a couple of hours of life through childrens eyes.

Swallow, a young girl grieving the death of her mother, finds a strange man hiding in her barn. On asking his identity his first confused and drowsy words are ‘Jesus Christ!’ Due to Swallow’s strong beliefs she thinks her prayers have been answered and Jesus Christ has come back to help her. News of an escaped convict spreads through the usually quiet town but Swallow, her siblings and the town’s children set about trying to protect their Saviour from harm and persecution.

Kenwright is said to have made significant changes to the structure of Lloyd Webber’s musical but doesn’t move away from his original adaptation of the book by keeping the relocation of the story in Louisiana’s bible-belt in the 1950s.

Faith and belief are prevalent throughout taking on extremes of wide eyed innocence against an overtly dark and sinister cult feeling. The music supports the story well; gospel sounds mixed with rock and roll create an authentic atmosphere of the era.

Carly Bawden who plays Swallow was magnificent. Stealing the show with her beautiful voice and soft tones, she is a very believable portrayal of an innocent 15 year old struggling with the harsh realities of an adult world.

Bawden is well supported by Toby Smith and Alicia Kemp as her siblings, Poor Baby and Brat and Lincoln Stone as Boone her Father. Jonathan Ansell (of G4 fame) gave an excellent vocal performance, there’s no denying the boy can sing and there are similarities to Michael Ball (who Ansell is said to have been inspired by at a young age) in the richness and dynamics of his voice. Ansell’s character performance was good for his stage acting debut and it was opening night after all but I should think by the end of this week’s run he will be well on form.

Ansell did however follow Bawden’s lead; her character undoubtedly the star of the story, his range never outshone hers. Bawden was able to really let go and Ansell’s control and obvious understanding of the part made sure his voice didn’t overpower during their duets.

The main theme song running throughout the show was No Matter What, made popular by Boyzone with lead vocal by the late Stephen Gately. The message this piece depicts pushes the idea of how easily faith and belief can be corrupted as children move in adulthood, adults learn the answers with no questions, and children will find the answers and question them, No Matter What.

Whistle Down the Wind plays at Nottingham's Theatre Royal from Monday 22 to Saturday 27 February 2010.

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