Arabian Nights at The Lowry Review
Arabian Nights
A Library Theatre Production
at The Lowry, Manchester
30 November 2012 – 12 January 2013
Running time: 160 minutes (approx.)
Reviewed by Michelle Wright
Enchanting, magical and mesmerising are the first words that spring to mind as I describe the very cleverly produced production of the Library Theatre's Christmas offering, Arabian Nights.
The show is set in-the-round, which enables the viewer to be drawn in as if you part of the production… a feeling of being sat under the stars whilst being entertained by a story teller.
The central character is the young girl named Shararazad. She has an amazing talent of story telling – colourful, enchanting tales of magical lands, flying carpets and singing trees. Following the deception of the kings wife, the king has announced that every day he will marry a girl from his land and kill them the following morning as no woman can be trusted. Shararazad convinces her father to let her marry the king with a plan that her stories will keep her alive.
Day after day, as night falls Sharazarad narrates stories as the story are acted out in front of us… As she tells her tales, we, the audience, see them performed before us. She begins with the most familiar, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, followed by tales of The Little Beggar and the story of Sindibad the Sailor. Her last story is that with no ending, testing her husband’s resolve of her being executed if her stories ever run dry.
The group of 9 actors play over 100 roles throughout the production, in the most amazing costumes, each actor having a lead role in at least one part of the show.
I found the show thoroughly entertaining, almost magical, and in parts very funny. The in-the-round set up was cleverly executed and as the actors worked their way in the audience, there was no way you could not feel involved.
The magical Arabian Nights is on at The Lowry theatre until the January 12. Tickets cost from £10-£20.
For more information or to book tickets visit www.librarytheatre.com/event/arabian-nights
Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi in Arabian Nights by Dominic Cooke
Directed by Amy Leach
Presented by the Library Theatre Company at The Lowry (30 November 2012 – 12 January 2013)
Photo by Jonathan Keenan