September 27. Day 270. Sweet treat

The cast after today's show. From left Irena Lysiuk as Gretel, Tim Carroll as the dad and Jessica Low as Hansel.

Production photos by Stephanie Do Rozario. 

Irena Lysiuk as Gretel (right) and Jessica Low as Hansel 

I can not truthfully claim to be intimately aware of all the details of the 1821 Brothers Grimm tale of Hansel and Gretel nor the Engelbert Humperdinck opera unveiled 80 years later.
I can, however, pretty confidently say that neither contained the phrase "hashtag YOLO". I'm equally confident that Hansel and Gretel were not starving because their mean old mother allowed no sugar-filled treats insisting on only fat-free, additive free, gluten-free, free range, organic foods. It could be that Shake&Stir and Opera Queensland have taken some liberties in translating one of the world's most popular operas for Queensland primary school students. Does it matter? Of course it does. If you want to engage today's students with a 200-year-old story and an operatic score you have to do it in their language. This version does just that and from a performance at Opera Queensland's studio at South Bank today, its clear the kids took to it with all the enthusiasm Hansel and Gretel applied to the Gingerbread cottage. Featuring soprano Irena Lysiuk as Gretel, mezzo-soprano Jessica Low as Hansel and Tim Carroll as the dad and the witch, this version is a very new twist on an age-old story. Humperdinck's music remains but in a re-imaged work set in a fantasy world of mobile phones, fad diets and mums who have facials instead of looking after their kids. It's charming, funny and accessible, while still reminding kids that it's not a great idea to trust strangers or steal food from their house. And all that colour and silliness ensures the tale is nowhere near as likely to traumatise kids as the Grimm original. The production is touring Queensland schools but Brisbane kids can still catch it at South Bank until Saturday.