Sarah Parish Joins Cast of balletLORENT Production Snow White: The Sacrifice
A well-loved TV, stage and film actor has joined the cast of a grown up reimagining of a very famous fairy tale, which premieres at Northern Stage this Halloween - and you can see her practising her lines in a recording studio in the attached clip.
Sarah Parish, known for her appearances in shows including Mistresses, Cutting it and satirical BBC mockumentary W1A, is the narrator of Scotswood-based balletLORENT's new 16+ dance theatre production called Snow White:The Sacrifice.
Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Parish will bring to life a new version of the classic story, which has been written by the first female poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy.
With an adult audience in mind, the plot leans deeper into a number of themes within the story, including fear of ageing, mother-daughter rivalry, loss of beauty and loss of power.
Voiced by Parish, the infamous magic mirror on the wall is heard to spit out scathing lines including ‘Queen, your beauty is still there, even though you dye your hair’ and ‘Queen, your beauty is a gift from scissors, surgery, face-lift...’
TV regular Parish, who has frequently co-starred alongside David Tennant, has played well-loved characters in programmes including Broadchurch, Industry, Geek Girl, Bancroft and Atlantis.
Despite hailing from Somerset, Parish's early career saw her play a series of northern women, including Dawn Rudge in Peak Practice, Allie Henshall in Cutting It and Katie Roden in Mistresses.
Her film credits include The Wedding Date with Amy Adams and Debra Messing and The Holiday alongside Kate Winslet.
Still with its roots in the Brothers Grimm’s original 19th-century storytelling, Snow White: The Sacrifice turns the familiar tale on its head as the audience is plunged into the tortured inner world of the Queen, played by 60-year-old dancer Caroline Reece.
Delving into the psyche of a desperate woman enslaved to her own harsh reflection, a tragic story unfolds brimming with cruelty, envy, and acts of heroism. This is a tale of a woman’s dread of aging and her battle against obscurity through enacting monstrous fantasies.
Liv Lorent, artistic director of the dance theatre company said: "balletLORENT invited Sarah to be our narrator as her voice is strong, vivid, and powerful, much like the story we are offering."
Speaking about the show's focus on the character of the wicked Queen, she said:
“The Queen's fear of ageing could be viewed as a simple act of vacuous vanity.
"But in a society where women are often valued above all else for their youth and their looks, perhaps what the Queen really fears is the coming of a loss of respect, standing and opportunity.
"This grown up version of Snow White scrutinises the character of the Queen more deeply. And whilst it still finds her murderous intent towards her daughter Snow White abominable, the audience is invited to consider the intense trials of her own inner world."
Snow White: The Sacrifice is at Northern Stage, Barras Bridge, Newcastle NE1 7RH Thursday 31 October and Saturday 2 November 2024 at 8pm. The performance is suitable for audience members aged 16+ and contains strong language, violence, partial nudity and sexual themes.There is a family friendly version too. Tickets from £12-£38
Image: Ben Crompton, the show's dramaturg, along with narrator Sarah Parish
