The Way Through the Woods

Based on Rudyard Kipling’s short stories and taking its title from the poem by the same name, The Way through The Woods tells the story of a brother (Sam) and sister (Katie) trying to heal their fractured relationship after the death of their father. The search for a necklace lures the siblings into the mysterious forest that lies beneath their family home. Under the night sky, in the forest surrounded by voices, Sam is kidnapped by the Wax Moth, while Katie stumbles upon The Wild Cat.

Cilgwyn Theatre Company’s devised performance employs elements of Kipling’s fantastical narrative and weaves in Carrollesque transformations that send Katie and Sam sliding into the forest world through a hidden hole in their family dining table. The Wax Moth reigns over an army of strange, amorphous creatures, dressed in Martina Trottman’s playful and evocative costumes. Wings protrude from the Wax Moth’s headpiece, and she wears a tapered dress with pockets of worms that almost seem to breathe as she walks.

Despite all the hallmarks of a magical journey, the performance doesn’t exploit its resources to the full. The characters lack clarity and detail at times; the Wild Cat seems more like a civil fox, its humour indistinct and its persona unaffected by the mysteries of the forest. The Wax Moth, though imaginatively played by Rachael Gray, feels too languid for the threatening presence she sets out to be. And while the story shows much potential, Imogen Commander’s text is too content with simply borrowing Kipling’s dark magic and mystery, rather than taking it to new ground.

The Way Through the Woods aims to be a challenging and accessible piece of theatre, but it remains unbalanced between the potential of the audience journey and the energy of the cast. The performers show admirable devotion to their characters and a strong desire to share this fantasy world with the audience, but the forest cries out for its mysteries and dangers to run wild.