Doncaster audiences bewitched by modern Snow Queen

This new production of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale aims to make the original story relevant to young people and their families living in the modern world.

A young boy, Kai is in thrall to a presence beyond his gaming screen.

It’s a threat that will come to take him from the real world.

Just who is The Snow Queen?

In the occasionally dangerous online world where people hide behind fake identities, she could be anybody.

His foster sister, Gerda has to pursue Kai into the wintry, digital realm of the Snow Queen to try to get him back.

Only the bond between the two can save him, as she refuses to believe that Kai is beyond her help.

The youngster sets off fearlessly to his rescue, her journey created in a high-tech, visual feast of projection mapping.

Audiences at the show at Cast in Doncaster are promised an experience that combines the everyday miracles of technology with both puppetry and great human performances.

Manchester-based theatere company Z-arts wondered how young people would relate to a story of make-believe, written in 1844.

Through consultation with children and young people, they fast forwarded nearly two centuries to place the action in a world of online viruses, interactive gaming and social media identities.

Writer Philip Osment and director Jonathan McGrath worked with a team of innovative theatre creatives including designer Jane Linz Roberts, puppeteer Liz Walker, musician Semay Wu and digital artists Cubic Flowers.

Together they combined different technologies to revive this sage fable of childhood curiosity, misplaced trust and unbreakable friendship.

As well as remarkable visuals, an impressive cast of puppets and an original musical score, expressive movement from a cast of five will help to keep young eyes transfixed.

The show features Sara Sadeghi, well known to Doncaster audiences after performing the lead titles in Cast’s pantomime Cinderella in2013 and playing Princess Jasmine in Aladdin the following year.

Sara returns to Doncaster to play the lead role of Gerda.

Aimed at audiences of seven years old and up, there is promise of light-hearted fun as Gerda meets with talking flowers, nosy birds, a grumpy reindeer and other magical creatures on her way.

The show is at Cast today and Saturday.

Box office: call 01302 303 959 or visit castindoncaster.com.