Theatre Reviews
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The Taxidermist's Daughter
Adapted for the stage by Kate Mosse
AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: The Taxidermist's Daughter - The Harlequin Players Club
On a warm but grey Saturday, I ventured to Northwich to watch a play I had never heard about, but my intrigue was certainly piqued. The matinee showing of The Taxidermist’s Daughter was playing at The Harlequin Theatre and I must say, this theatre was quite the hidden gem, the exterior not doing justice to what I walked into! Tiered seating, great staging area and the perfect size to tell any story. And the story I ended up seeing suited this space so well.
Originally a best-selling novel published in 2014, the play was adapted by the actual author, Kate Mosse, who made some changes to the so that it would work for a live stage performance. A relatively recent play, having made its debut at the Chichester Festival theatre in 2022, I give applause to The Harlequin Players Club for taking on this challenge.
The mood was set from the moment I walked into the theatre. There was a soundtrack of heavy rain and a large white screen with a projector playing a black and white slightly unnerving video; the camera moving along unsteadily on marshlands. So with this visual coupled with the rain playing in my ears, I already knew I was in for a chilling yet special treat.
The ambience was further set when the lights went down, and we were left with the almost candlelit lighting on stage. Appropriately dressed to the period, cast members trickled onto stage, some holding lanterns and they stood there, still and silent as a haunting voice sang. Amongst them were four characters wearing black crow masks, and with the backdrop of the song, brought an uneasy feeling and a foreboding of the sinister world we were entering.
Set in 1912 on the edge of the Fishbourne Marshes in Sussex, a time when women were not supposed to be taxidermists, we meet Connie Gifford, a young and talented woman who learned the art of taxidermy from her father, Crowley Gifford. He owned the popular ‘Gifford Museum of Taxidermy’ until an event rocked the village, resulting in the closure of the museum, and Connie secretly having to step up. John Booth brings a hopelessness and sorrowful performance to Mr Gifford that on one hand, makes us feel sympathy for him but on the other hand, his elusive behaviour leaves us questioning the reason why he is like this.
Megan Billing’s portrayal of Connie is hugely impressive. She brings sophistication, strength, gravitas and melancholy to a character who is struggling with a childhood trauma that left her with lost memories. Whilst she keeps busy with her work, surrounded by stuffed animals (courtesy of the excellent work from Pamela Holland on Bird props, pheasant and masks duty), posters of animal anatomies on the wall and taxidermists’ tools, she often zones out as she gets flashes of memories. Now rather than a monologue explaining what she is thinking in those moments, the big screen is put to great use and a video shows us great insight into what is going on in her mind. Clips of a young Connie, so sweetly played by Cara Sconce, and a mysterious girl spark the audience’s interest about what happened to Connie, and who this other girl is.
The director and producer of the play (also wearing the hat of Set Design and Costumes), Yvette Owen, had a task ahead of her in bringing a story with a tough subject matter to life but in her own words “it is an important story to tell about female empowerment and retribution.” From the staging, to the video clips and the music, she took full creative control, deciding to record all the video clips and create the songs and soundtrack with a wonderfully talented team. Matt Parry, Steve Lincoln, John Booth and Andy Walker were the sound team extraordinaires, setting the haunting tone. James Clifford was the Lighting and Filmmaker, bringing the marshlands and Connie’s memories to life, with editing decisions that gave a real sense that what we were watching were important, dark moments from the past.
The antithesis to Connie in almost every way is the character that sets in motion much of what happens. Cassie Pine, played by Miranda Chance, is a figure of mystery and intrigue. Chance’s portrayal is slightly unhinged, tragic and captivating. Her facial expressions and the delivery of the dialogue leaves a lasting impression. I was a big fan of the director's creativity in the moments when we saw Cassie lit up in the background, behind the white sheet, and Connie foreground at her taxidermy counter. Both women existing at the same time, seeing them in their very different surroundings but still signifying that they are connected somehow. The lighting mainly went from the warm candlelight orange to a cold blue, for the moon and the stormy weather coming in, switching up the mood.
Every gothic murder mystery needs a bad guy, and whilst it might seem that Cassie is that person, the crows we briefly met in the opening of act one reveal themselves to hold the title. There is the reluctant accomplice Dr Jack Woolson, played with a quiet remorse by Adrian Grace that once we know his role in the overall picture, we could maybe have a smidgen of empathy for him, however the remaining crows did not even try to earn this feeling. Mr Crowther (Gabriel Be Potenza), Mr White (Trevor Stubbs) and Mr Brook (Ian Lancaster) were already perfectly portraying these suss characters, because I was instantly wary of them but once the devastating truth was revealed in Connie’s memory video clip, and what the story had been hinting at materialized, we gained the most scary kind of villain; those that don’t even realise why they are the villain, which actually inspired some muted boos during their bows. That must be what every actor playing a villain wants though, to know that you got the audience exactly to the place you were supposed to - truly disliking you so a job well done! But also massive props to these actors on playing such difficult characters, and setting a sinister undercurrent throughout the play until its dramatic climax.
Special mention to Ella Bolton, playing a young Cassie in the memories. The content of the videos was quite distressing and hard hitting, and it is in the things not shown but heavily implied that you can be truly affected. There I was squirming in my seat, uncomfortable, wanting to look away from the screen, angry about what happens and then feeling so sorry; a rollercoaster of emotions was experienced!
Safeguarding measures would have been heavily put in place to protect the young actresses’ innocence when filming these sequences. Their parents actually vetted the show in a previous performance, giving the okay for the actresses to come and watch their work at the matinee. They even got their special moment at the end with the rest of the cast, standing with their adult counterparts, to receive their well deserved applause in the bows. Truly special for those girls and a core memory for sure.
Light and shade are very important in dark and twisted stories and this is where Mary Christie and Harry Woolston come in. Mary works for Crowley and Connie as a maid who is played so effortlessly charismatic and warm hearted by Amber Larose, a ray of sunshine in the storm. But when called for, Larose also shows her emotional range and I believe everything she does! Larose, along with Pamela Hewitt provide the vocal singing talent in the play, continuing that haunting tone set at the beginning every time we hear them sing.
Dan Aynsley’s Harry Woolson is the starved, tortured artist, forced to work a job under a boss who makes him feel less than. His dilemma at wanting more for himself than being tied to the everyday working grind is a very modern feeling! So he decides to quit all that and follow his painting dreams, shoutout to Annie Makepeace for providing the painting. We see in Harry’s interactions with other characters, even when the overriding mood is dread, the skill that Aynsley has in not leaving you feeling stressed, even when he is stressed! The relationship that grows between Harry and Connie is lovely to see, a sweet simmering chemistry between the actors amidst the ominous atmosphere.
This was a great sized cast and still allowed for everyone to have their moment on stage with distinct characters, even if we only met them a few times. Jennie Christie (Mary’s mother) knew something happened that fateful day but lived with a fear that left her silent until finally the moment came for her to speak.Tina Wyatt brings a brilliant maternal presence, a dependable but cautious energy. Sgnt Pennicott (Gabe Brammer), Davey (Scott Watson), Lewis and Joseph (Adam Wade), The Clerk (Jo Ridgely), Mrs Nutbeam (Kindah Sanderson) and Vera Baker & Flower Seller (Scarlett Robinson, who had the most fabulous transition from seller to Vera that I literally missed it!) all came together as supporting cast members that populated the stage and the story in a very necessary way. It is not easy to do that and takes an all seeing and attentive director to achieve this, so well done Yvette Owen for allowing everyone's talents on and behind the stage to shine through.
So from having never heard of the play, a new fan has been made so thank you and congratulations to The Harlequin Players Club and to Yvette Owen for introducing me to this exceptional story, now excuse me while I go and buy the book!
Reviewer: Bwalya Mutale-Kibaris - AMT Productions
Date: 18/04/2025
CAST: Connie Gifford - Megan Billing, Cassie Pine - Miranda Chance, Crowley Gifford - John Booth, Mary Christie - Tina Wyatt, Harry Woolston - Dan Aynsley, Sgnt Pennicott - Gabe Brammer, Davey - Scott Watson, Lewis & Joseph - Adam Wade, Dr Jack Woolston - Adrian Grace, Mr Crowther - Gabriel De Potenza, Mr White - Trevor Stubbs, Mr Brook - Jo Ridgley, Mrs Nutbeam - Kindah Sanderson, Vera Baker & Flower Seller - Scarlette Robinson
Director & Producer - Yvette Owen
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Meet Our Reviewers
Bwalya Mutale-Kibaris
Bwalya Mutale-Kibaris has always enjoyed writing, whether it be fictional stories, the first 10 pages of a script or book, or writing reviews for random brochures back in her university days! Bwalya loves putting words together to create something that is hopefully informative, engaging or at the very least, easy to read and understand! She is grateful to AMT Productions for giving her the opportunity to write a review for a play in 2024. This was a rewarding learning experience that Bwalya will take with her to all future ventures as she plans to fill much of her time writing with the hope of leaving readers suitably entertained.
Rebecca Topping
Rebecca Topping studied Drama at Queen Mary University of London and has been writing and producing plays professionally for over 10 years. She has experience of performing and directing on London’s West End and is currently teaching Comedy and Drama for the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts and working creatively in communities for a charity in Birkenhead. With sell out runs of comedy shows in London, Liverpool and Edinburgh, she is no stranger to the jokes and gags needed to have an audience in stitches.
Abigail Bradbury
Abigail is a Choreographer, Director and Movement Director for professional and amateur large-scale musicals, plays, films and pantomimes across the UK. Abigail has worked extensively within the industry, appearing in her first TV series at the tender age of 6. Abigail HAS Radio, Film and television credits with BBC, ITV, BBC Merseyside Radio and Heart Radio. In addition to her radio and television credits, Abigail’s professional performing career also includes leading roles in ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Pied Piper’, ‘Her Benny’, ‘Christmas Carol’ and ‘David Copperfield’, in a variety of touring theatres across the UK, AND HAS recently performed in ‘Shrek the Musical’, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ and ‘The Sound of Music’ at the Liverpool Empire.
Abigail has always had a passion for teaching and sharing her knowledge and skills within the theatre industry.
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