Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Pigs,

Settle Amateur Operatic Society Juniors,

THE expectant audience was rewarded when the lights went down with a procession of woodland animals working their way through the dark auditorium lit only by different coloured ‘fireflies’ in jars. It was a atmospheric start and the opening number was ‘Down to the Woods’.

The first act, which told the story of Little Red Riding Hood, was excellent as the confident children played their parts superbly.

Isaac Wiggans was wonderful. His routine outside Granny’s house provoked gales of laughter. His sense of comedic timing was very impressive.

Stand out moments in act one were the unintentional comedy derived from Sniffy the dog’s and other forest animals’ ears, which seemed to have a life of their own. The entrance of the very military Three Little Pigs was another highlight, especially the ‘Corporal Jones’ moment.

There were some great moments in act two. The sight of forest animals tap dancing was lovely and Sniffy the dog came into his own in the dance routine. His tail changed from trip hazard to an accessory as he twirled it with rhythm and vigour.

- Helen Jarvis

And meanwhile, one of Settle Amateur Operatic Society's original juniors, Alice Sym, who is currently studying at York University, wrote the following review:

ONCE again, Settle Amateur Operatic Society has performed yet another wonderful junior production, this time with acclaimed children’s author Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes.

First published in 1982, Revolting Rhymes takes the beloved fairy tales of your childhood and twists them into the most unexpected yet hilarious stories, with SAOS performing the stories of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf and The Three Little Pigs.

The first half of the play began with Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, a story that isn’t what you may expect!

Red Riding Hood, played with gusto by leading ladies Mina Cartwright and Amy Lawson, makes her way through the beautifully set forest to be greeted by an ensemble of woodland creatures.

It is evident here that a lot of hard work has been put into each ensemble role by the cast, with every child having a distinct character and personality standing out in their own unique way.

Red Riding Hood’s pet Sniffy the dog (Poppy Williams and Edward Rhodes) made an excellent sidekick,

conveying just as much personality and vigour as any other character with only a vocabulary of woofs and barks to work with!

Likewise, the Three Little Pigs (Isabella Shults, Marley Atkin, and Ash Cartwright) performed their roles with confidence and humour, providing many laughs for the audience throughout.

Meanwhile, danger lurks for Red Riding Hood and her feisty Granny (Hannah Chapman and Daisy Pilkington), as the menacing Wolf (Isaac Wiggins) hatches a devious plan to gobble the two up!

However, Roald Dahl’s take on the story of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf sees a dark yet hilarious twist, as Red Riding Hood “whips a pistol from her knickers” and shoots the Wolf dead; the excellent physical comedy and comedic timing of the two titular characters provided a shocking yet hysterical end to the story, as the day is saved by a little girl and her gun.

Part two of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes saw the return of the Three Little Pigs, with each one showcasing their quirky personalities and wit to produce an equally energetic performance to the first half.

The story of the Three Little Pigs also sees the conniving plans of another evil Wolf (Gabriel Williams), a true pantomime villain, to blow the pigs’ houses down.

Red Riding Hood continued to shine in her new-found role as a wolf hunter, and the woodland ensemble continued to show professionalism and enthusiasm, with Wheeler Dealer Piggy being a particular stand out number!

Among the gruesome gobbling ups of the pigs by the wicked Wolf, the production’s tap dances, choreographed beautifully by Amy Lawson, were a lovely and lively addition to the play.

The story was tied together nicely by the trio of the Wolf, Red Riding Hood, and Snort the Pig (Ash Cartwright), the last pig standing, as all three worked exceptionally well together to replicate the grossly funny ending to Roald Dahl’s story, with Red gaining yet another wolf fur pelt (and not to forget a brand new pig skin travelling case)!

SAOS Juniors continue to excel in in all they do, with producer Pat Harding giving Settle another flawlessly performed show, with the help of several SAOS alumni-Emily Coates, Melanie Edgar, Molly Summersgill-Smith, and Jake Tatham-all working exceptionally well in their roles as assistant producers.

Pam Whitehead and Steven Lawson’s polished musical direction, along with the 'Revolting Rockers', kept the musical numbers lively and fun, while the costume, make-up, and stage teams all seamlessly brought the show to life with their hard work, creativity, and imagination.

- Alice Sym