“Tin Soldier” Rides Again With Admirable Aplomb

By Sydney Milligan with Wes Hessel

“Tin Soldier” Rides Again With Admirable Aplomb

Lookingglass Theatre brings back their holiday classic, “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” – this approximately hour long play with music is a glorious family seasonal tradition, and a faithful retelling of the beloved Hans Christian Andersen story. First, you will want to arrive early, as the pre-show advent calendar updating vignettes are adorable and funny at the same time, setting the tone for the production. Here you see the first of the costuming: spectacular colors, patterns, and smart design choices.  When lit up, the ensembles sparkle matches that of this Christmas fantasy.

The puppetry is absolutely phenomenal – the cast is highly skilled at maneuvering the larger-than-life marionette-like figures; combined with the marvelous movement of the human characters, this flows with lifelike realism. The actors are also quite adept at the circus art elements, for which Lookingglass is well-known, and they add even more to the delightful performance. And the scenery is gorgeous, from the hand-painted looking backdrops to the innovative props used to demonstrate water and other environmental items.

The little “orchestra” ensemble plays beautifully, and the music composed for the piece helps serve the storytelling very well; the song at the end reminding the audience to remain brave and “Steadfast” is entirely moving. So, you will not want to miss this chance to witness a new classic version of the timeless tale, but do so by January 8th, when the “Tin Soldier” sails away for the last time this holiday season; for tickets or more information, kindly go to their website at www.lookingglasstheatre.org.

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