The Witch’s Bogey
The Witch’s Bogey is derived from Russian folklore where Baba Yaga, a witch who specialises in eating little girls for dinner, finds that all the evil in the world will not succeed against the antidote of pure magic.
This delightful small cast show is set as a pop musical with vocals strongly sung by young performers. But opening with lengthy numbers makes for a slow start, especially for the young children.
Once underway it swings along with the storyline coming across clearly. Virtue, a kind little girl, loses her mother in mysterious circumstances only to be replaced by a cruel step-mother. She sends Virtue out into the woods and into the clutches of Baba Yaga. But Virtue survives the danger through supportive animal friends and magical aids.
The cast works well as a team. Marc Groves sings pleasantly as Virtue’s loving father and he doubles as Baba Yaga in good pantomime dame style. Leanne Garretty is Virtue while Victoria Stedeford revels in hate and cruelty as the step-mother.
Steve Dorsett is the biggest dog you ever met and Helen Crosse plays cat, mouse and the real mum.
Scenery is colourful - two reversible folding flats - and so is the programme which tells the story in cartoon form with captions.
Author and director Steven Lee has created a worthwhile show for the young and the elderly.
Production information
- Management:
- People's Theatre Company
- Cast:
- Colleen Daley
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Run sheet
- Civic Guildford
- December 12-13 2003
- Medina Newport, Isle of Wight
- October 8 2005
- West Wing Slough
- October 9 2005
- Courtyard Hereford
- October 10 2005
- Haymarket Basingstoke
- October 15 2005
- Forest Arts Centre New Milton
- October 22 2005
- Dorking Halls Dorking
- October 23 2005
- Castle Wellingborough
- October 24 2005
- Woodville Halls Gravesend
- October 25 2005
- Point Eastleigh
- October 26 2005
- Wilde Bracknell
- October 27 2005
- Mill Arts Centre Banbury
- October 28 2005
- Civic Centre Aylesbury
- October 29 2005
- Swan High Wycombe
- November 5 2005
- Playhouse Harlow
- November 8 2005
- All Saints Arts Centre London
- November 12 2005
- Riverfront Newport
- November 12-18 2005
- Theatre Royal Winchester
- November 19 2005
- Yvonne Arnaud, Mill Studio Guildford
- January 28 2006
- Playhouse Sevenoaks
- February 4 2006
- Roses Tewkesbury
- February 16 2006
- Theatre Royal Margate
- February 25 2006
- Broadway Barking
- March 4 2006
- Arts Centre Havant
- September 15 2007
- Assembly Hall Tunbridge Wells
- September 16 2007
- Harlequin Redhill
- September 22 2007
- Arts Centre Bridport
- September 29 2007
- Stables Theatre Hastings
- September 30 2007
- Arc Trowbridge
- October 6 2007
- Elgiva Chesham
- October 7 2007
- Millfield Arts Centre London
- October 13 2007
- Octagon Yeovil
- October 14 2007
- Wyeside Arts Centre Builth Wells
- October 19 2007
- Rose Ormskirk
- October 20 2007
- Arts Centre Swindon
- October 21 2007
- Mill Arts Centre Banbury
- October 22 2007
- South Hill Park Arts Centre Bracknell
- October 23 2007
- Swan Worcester
- October 24 2007
- Pavilion Worthing
- October 25 2007
- Guildhall Arts Centre Gloucester
- October 26 2007
- Arts Centre Aberystwyth
- October 28 2007
- Theatr Elli Llanelli
- October 29 2007
- Memorial Hall Barry
- October 30 2007
- Theatr Brycheiniog Brecon
- October 31 2007
- Queens Hall Narbeth
- November 1 2007
- Miner's Institute Blackwood
- November 2 2007
- Palace Mansfield
- November 3 2007
- Willows Arts Centre Corby
- November 4 2007
- Camberley Theatre Camberley
- November 10 2007
- Capitol Horsham
- November 11 2007
- Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre Taunton
- November 16 2007
- Rhodes Arts Complex Bishop's Stortford
- November 17 2007
- Library Luton
- February 9
- Theatr Gwaun Fishguard
- February 10
- Muni Arts Centre Pontypridd
- February 11
- Riverfront Newport
- February 12-13
- Arts Complex Solihull
- February 14
- Palace Redditch
- February 15
- Winter Gardens Ventnor
- February 16
- Leatherhead Theatre Leatherhead
- February 18
- Wyeside Arts Centre Builth Wells
- February 19
- Corn Exchange Newbury
- February 20
- Haymarket Basingstoke
- February 21-22
- Anvil Basingstoke
- February 21-22
- Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds
- February 23
- Arts Centre Harrow
- February 24
- Forum Twenty Eight Barrow-In-Furness
- February 29-March 1
- Mechanics Burnley
- March 2
- Civic Doncaster
- March 8
- Guildhall Derby
- March 13-14
- Trinity Arts Centre Gainsborough
- March 15
- Theatre Royal Margate
- March 16
- Town Hall Hartlepool
- March 18
- Theatre Royal Wakefield
- March 19
- Palace Newark
- March 20
- Ashcroft Croydon
- March 21
- Fairfield Concert Hall Croydon
- March 21
- Met Bury
- March 22
- Regal Centre Worksop
- March 24
- Civic Centre Middleton
- March 25
- Civic Hall Heywood
- March 26
- Harrogate Theatre Harrogate
- March 27-29
- Royal Spa Centre Leamington Spa
- April 1
- Thameside Grays
- April 2
- Rosehill Whitehaven
- April 5
- Square Chapel Halifax
- April 6
- Guildhall Arts Centre Grantham
- April 7
- Blackfriars Arts Centre Boston
- April 8
- Wharf Tavistock
- April 9
- Plough Arts Centre Great Torrington
- April 10
- Princess Pavilion Falmouth
- April 11
- Pavilion Exmouth
- April 12
- Gatehouse Stafford
- April 13
- Dome Morecambe
- April 14
- Arc Stockton-on-Tees
- April 15
- Customs House South Shields
- April 16
- Lamplight Arts Centre Stanley
- April 17
- Playhouse Alnwick
- April 18
- Brindley Runcorn
- April 19
- Lowther Pavilion Lytham St Annes
- April 20
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