Delve into the Darkness

Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber, Northern Stage Until October 11, 2008, Box Office (0191) 230 5151.

I WAS first introduced to Angela Carter as a teenager by watching the film of The Company of Wolves.

Here Little Red Riding Hood, one of the short stories from The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, was turned on its head into a young girl’s journey into adulthood.

Carter’s subversive take on traditional folklore has captivated many an English undergraduate.

Her familiar childhood tales and legends are given a modern twist that transforms these fables into dark and sensual interpretations.

Last night her unique fairytale retelling was brought to life on stage for the first time in the UK.

The Bloody Chamber is a reworking of the classic Bluebeard tale.

The play recounts the story of a young woman, played splendidly by Roisin Gallagher, who marries an older, French aristocrat, played by Paul Hamilton.

Her husband leaves her alone for a brief time in his brooding castle, forbidding her to enter one room while he is away.

But she enters the room and discovers his terrifying secret.

This horror leads her to form a relationship with blind pianist, deciding her fate with her deeply disturbed groom.

The adaptation was ambitious and engaging.

I particularly enjoyed the clever use of film, in which Holy Island becomes the eerie castle of the deranged Marquis.

Carter wrote her tales in the Gothic mode and the set of last night’s production was dark and full of foreboding.

The script sparkles with plenty of humour, especially from Angela Clerkin, who doubles as housekeeper and nanny, but sometimes it reminded me a little of the old Hammer House of Horror films.

Carter’s work often explored sex and in particular sexual awakening, so there were naked scenes in the play and quite gory encounters.

So the Bloody Chamber is not for the faint-hearted but it is certainly worth viewing.

(c) 2008 Evening Chronicle – Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.