Theatre Fideri Fidera is an Anglo-Swiss theatre company, and their production of Will Tell and the Big Bad Baron aims to shed a UK limelight onto the famous European character, Wilhelm Tell, the “Swiss Robin Hood”, probably most famous to laypeople for shooting an apple off a child’s head with a crossbow.
This children’s play refocuses the story around his daughter, Wilhelmina Tell (Natasha Granger) who disguises herself as a night and embarks on a quest against the evil Baron Boris von Bummelkrachenhofer (Jack Faires) to rescue her father and the Baron’s daughter Edeltraut (Jack Faires) from the evil man and his crow (Jack Faires).
The workmanlike script is elevated by Colin Granger’s direction, and the enthusiastically over-the-top performances by Granger and Faires who delight in their interactions with the audience, their multiple characters, the puppeteering of their charming donkey-horse-bicycle steads Rosina and Prinz (designed by Marina Kobler). This is the rare show where it’s the scene changes that get chewed, thanks partly the multi-functional walls by Paul Harrison. The songs are charming and there are some lovely points for children and adults to get involved on-stage (as long as they want to!)
Overall, it’s a fun show with a good cast that will have children laughing throughout, and it deserves a big audience.
Will Tell and the Big Bad Baron plays until August 21st (not Wednesdays) at Gilded Ballon Patter Hoose, and tickets can be found at https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/will-tell-and-the-big-bad-baron
Reviewer: Oliver Giggins
Reviewed: 5th August 2022
North West End UK Rating: ★★★