A Monster Calls (Stage Version) – Review

Who’s It By?

A Monster Calls is adapted from a 2011 novel written by Patrick Ness, based on an idea by the late Siobahn Dowd. This version is directed by Sally Cookson, famous for her theatrical interpretations of classic stories such as Peter Pan and Jane Eyre, and the script was created by the entire cast and crew, with Adam Peck in charge of this collaborative process.

What’s It About?

A Monster Calls is about Conor O’Malley (played by Matthew Tennyson), a troubled 13 year old boy from Britain. His mother (played by Marianne Oldham) is suffering from cancer and her health is deteriorating rapidly. He struggles to get on with his strict grandmother (played by Selina Cadell), and his father (played by Felix Hayes) now lives in America, spending most of his time focused on his new family there. At school, the situation is no better, as he has fallen out with his former friend Lily (played by Witney White) and became the target of a trio of bullies led by Harry (played by John Leader). One day, Conor is visited by a mysterious Monster (played by Stuart Goodwin) who emerges from a giant Yew tree. The Monster promises Conor that he will provide him with three stories that may help him to understand his problems. In return, Conor will have to tell the monster a fourth tale about himself and his deepest fear.

How to Experience It 

A Monster Calls is currently on at London’s prestigious Old Vic theatre, with the last performance there being on the 25th August. Considering the acclaim this production has received, and the popularity of the source material, it would not be surprising if it was performed at further theatres in the future. If you are unable to see the play, then you can always buy the script, which is available at bookshops and online.

Review

(Note: This Review Contains some Mild Spoilers.)

Since it was first published, A Monster Calls has become a must-read for older children trying to come to terms with difficult issues such as grief, loss and anxiety. It has gained excellent reviews, won numerous awards, and it was even adapted into a 2016 film which starred Lewis MacDougall, Liam Neeson, Sigourney Weaver and Felicity Jones. Given this popularity, it was inevitable that it would be adapted for the stage. It is almost impossible for the stage version to avoid comparisons with the film, but both are separate adaptations of the same story. The film was mostly faithful to the book but cut several scenes from the school subplot and added some extra material for Conor and his mother. In contrast, the play is almost a direct translation of the book. Director Sally Cookson and book writer Adam Peck adopted a collaborative approach, creating a basic script and editing it with input and ideas from all the cast members. It is clear that everyone involved loves the story and wants to do justice to it, and they definitely bring A Monster Calls to life in unique and high-quality fashion

The main difference between this version and the film is how much this one uses the codes and conventions of theatre, where symbolism is key and smaller objects can be used to represent grand images and ideas. The Monster is formed using a set of ropes which embody the power and majesty of his tree form and highlight his status as the symbol of nature. Projections are used frequently throughout the production, creating a vivid contrast with the stark white stage. For the climax, when Conor’s recurring nightmare is shown in full, a section of the wall opens out to form a cliff. Even smaller effects, such as the use of ropes to depict a car, are creative and interesting. Not every visual flourish works, but the majority do, and they allow the project to gain a unique look which enhances its themes and messages.

The most elaborate sequences in the play are the three stories which the Monster tells Conor. These stories (about a Prince seemingly threatened by his mysterious step-grandmother, a parson whose war with an apothecary has a tragic conclusion, and an invisible man who lashes out at society), are powerful and potent subversions of fairy tale certainties, and are brought to life on stage in impressive fashion. The first is set in a medieval kingdom of dense forests, whilst the second is set in an industrialising world where nature has been diminished but is still visible and necessary. The first tale makes heavy use of projections and acrobatics, whilst the second depicts key plot developments through singing. Whilst the film depicted these stories with animation, they are now acted out by the ensemble, with key figures from Conor’s life playing the central roles. This makes the parallels between these tales and Conor’s plight explicit, as the latent symbolism of the stories (The sinister but ultimately non-villainous Queen represents Conor’s grandmother, and the unreliable parson represents his father) is now completely obvious. This is generally a good thing, although it is jarring to see Connor’s grandmother referred to as a “princess”. However, the third story, which ditches this fantasy element in favour of highlighting Conor’s isolation, is the most effective and disturbing, with the minimalist staging revealing how desperate Conor is and demonstrating how dangerous the Monster can be.

The heart and soul of this production is Matthew Tennyson, who plays Conor. He is initially sullen and antisocial as he dismisses the Monster and struggles to understand the messages of his stories, but his grief and confusion are evident beneath his defensive exterior, and when he finally expresses his feelings, it is devastating. This powerful performance is made even more impressive by the staging, which highlights Conor's loneliness. For most of the production, he is alone at the centre of the minimalist stage, and a synthesiser-heavy score accompanies him as he endures the trials of daily life. This portrayal of Conor’s outcast status is bleak and powerful, demonstrating that this is not a production for younger or more sensitive audiences. Based on his performance here, it seems like Tennyson will have a bright future in acting.

The supporting cast is utilised well, with the ten-person ensemble generally doing a solid job bringing the secondary characters to life. Aside from Conor, the Monster is the most significant and complex character. Stuart Goodwin is imposing and powerful, bringing plenty of physicality to a creature who embodies the wild earth but also highlighting the tender and supportive side of the character, particularly at the end. Connor’s loving mother and distant father are portrayed almost the same as they were in the book, with Marianne Oldham and Felix Hayes meeting the requirements of the role. Given that she was almost entirely cut from the film, it is great to see Conor’s former best friend Lily gain a more prominent role here, and Witney White captures her feistiness and her guilt over the way she inadvertently contributed to Conor’s status as an outcast. However, not all of the characterisation hits the mark in this version. Conor’s grandmother is not as three-dimensional as she was in the novel and the film, feeling more like a stereotypically strict grandmother – the contrast between her icy exterior and her struggle to deal with her impending loss does not feel as fully formed. The scene where she finds out that Conor has destroyed her room is such a devastating moment in the book and film (it is rightly used to conclude Act One here) but Selina Cadell’s grief and fury in this scene feels a bit hammy and unconvincing – it is the only time in the entire production where the acting misses the mark. The head school bully, Harry, also loses a lot of his impact due to attempts to make him into too much of a comic relief character. Harry is meant to be a star pupil abusing his power and position to make Conor’s life a misery but giving him grossout jokes and a lame lie about dead pet hamsters dilutes this and makes him feel like a blustering thug rather than a budding sociopath. The fault here lies with the writing as opposed to the acting – John Leader does a good job conveying Harry’s menace when it matters most. The ensemble also adopt a variety of smaller roles, as they appear in Connor’s nightmare and often sit at the sides of the stage. Their multitasking allows them to demonstrate their versatility and showcase their dancing and acrobatic skills. Though their roles are not as flashy as those of Tennyson and Goodwin, they are still able to prove their talent and enhance the production substantially.

Ultimately, for all the acting and stagecraft, this version of A Monster Calls succeeds because it retains the devastating power of the story and the potency of its emotional messages. The scene where Connor’s mother reveals her condition is incurable has lost none of its power, and Connor’s eventual acceptance of his fear and confusion will be relatable to anyone who has tried to wrestle with difficult issues such as bereavement. A Monster Calls also stands out due to its messages about human frailties. We are all prone to fear, uncertainty and borderline-hypocritical self-contradiction, but we need to come to terms with these and never be afraid to speak the truth and discuss our problems. Like the Monster himself, these lessons are eternal and will always be resonant and important. It is this which ensures that A Monster Calls is one of the most important Young Adult novels of the last decade, and like the film, the stage version is introducing a wider audience to this moving story and the valuable truths it contains. Overall, the stage version of A Monster Calls is another excellent adaptation of this tearjerking story, and I hope that the tale of  Conor O'Malley will continue to make people cry and provide wisdom and understanding for years to come.

10 Things Jennifer Lee Needs to do as Disney Animation’s New Chief Creative Officer (Part 2)

(Read Part One of this Article Here)

In June, Frozen director Jennifer Lee took over as Chief Creative Officer at Disney Animation in the aftermath of the sexual harassment scandal which led to the resignation of former Disney and Pixar creative head John Lasseter. Lee is under considerable pressure to maintain Disney Animation’s recent winning streak whilst also providing more positive and diverse environment to allow the studio to move into the #TimesUp era. There are various things she needs to do in order to succeed as Chief Creative Officer, and there is too much advice to fit into a single post. The first part of this article (published last month) focused on the films Lee is going to produce and how she can make them as entertaining and inspirational as possible, so this second part will focus on her need to project a positive image for Disney Animation and deal with the behind the scenes tensions and uncertainties caused by Lasseter’s misdeeds. Being an effective Chief Creative Officer requires both good films and a welcoming, progressive working environment, and Lee will need to provide both to flourish in her important new role.

6. Listen to the Critics

The main problem with Jennifer Lee is the fact that she is relatively inexperienced for a Chief Creative Officer. Whilst Pete Docter (who has taken over as Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer) has been with Pixar for almost three decades, Lee has only been with Disney Animation for seven years. This means that she still has plenty to learn. So far, all of Lee’s major work with the studio has been as part of a team. This is incredibly useful in the medium of animation, as animated films are continuously changed and altered until just a couple of months before release, ensuring that the writers and directors need extra feedback and support. Aside from her writing and directing, Lee has also been an important member of Disney’s “Story Trust” – an organisation established to emulate the success of Pixar’s legendary “Brain Trust”. In this capacity, she has contributed ideas to a variety of Disney Animation hits beyond the three she co-wrote. The collaborative process is very useful for Lee and has allowed her to build a close relationship with other Disney Animation creatives, which is necessary in order to take charge of the studio. However, she needs to assert a degree of dominance without turning to the often-autocratic behaviour which was a significant factor in Lasseter’s downfall.

Lee also needs to listen to professional critics and members of the public who dislike her work. Since it became a billion-dollar phenomenon, Frozen has been subject to plenty of criticism from those who regard it as overrated. Commonly cited problems include massive plot holes, the two-dimensional, superfluous villains, the focus on Anna’s adventure over Elsa’s more interesting arc, and the contrivances which keep the two sisters apart for most of the runtime. These flaws are closely linked to the twists, messages and ideas which make Frozen unique and appealing, so they cannot be fixed without changing the movie substantially. This would alienate most of the Frozen fandom, so adaptations (such as the Broadway version) have stayed close to the template laid out by the source material. As pointed out in the previous post, this is a key reason why they have received underwhelming reviews in comparison. Jennifer Lee’s writing skills recently came under more intense scrutiny as she co-wrote the critically savaged live-action adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time. Jennifer Lee is certainly not the only Disney Animation veteran to face difficulties translating her skills to Disney's live-action division (which has a reputation for being far less reliable than its animation studios) but the criticisms of A Wrinkle in Time have reinforced the argument that she is not able to translate her numerous good ideas into a strong script. Gaining a good reputation is necessary if you are being given a position of tremendous power and influence, and Lee’s failures have ensured that her appointment is being regarded with a considerable degree of scepticism by her detractors. She needs to win these people over if she wants to enjoy a long and successful tenure in her new role.

7. Ignore the Haters

However, whilst films like Frozen have plenty of problems, there is a world of difference between honest, analytical criticism of Disney movies and the vitriol of many unhinged internet commentators. There are many aspects of Disney films which can be discussed, but this should not lead to racist, sexist, homophobic and violent comments. Unfortunately, in today’s polarised climate, it happens all too often. Disney films have focused on promoting tolerance and inclusion, but this provokes hostility from those who regard these progressive values as a threat, and their prejudiced mentality needs to be ignored or challenged. When extremely right-wing pundits like Jordan Peterson and Steve Doocy use Frozen to argue that Hollywood is engaged in a plot to undermine traditional values of masculinity, it merely highlights why movies like that are so valuable. One movie with a primarily negative portrayal of male characters does not pose a threat to the patriarchy, but it can highlight the fact that many of the members of this patriarchy are reactionary fanatics afraid of change and innovation. Similar attacks have accompanied attempts to promote racial and sexual diversity in the Frozen universe. The fact that Jennifer Lee merely expressed interest in giving Elsa a female love interest in Frozen 2 led to extreme and ugly homophobia, and the decision to cast African-American actor Jelani Aladdin as Anna’s love interest Kristoff in the Broadway version of Frozen led to him receiving racist insults from people who cling to the delusion that everyone living in 19th century Europe was white. Progressive casting and characterisation should be done carefully and skilfully, but the idea of humiliating and defeating the ugliest and most obnoxious commentators should give Jennifer Lee extra incentive to continue subverting the traditional stereotypes by showing that you don’t have to be white, straight or male to be a hero.

An example of how unhinged and extreme internet hatred can become is apparent in the struggles facing the Disney-owned Star Wars franchise. Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, the once-mighty series has been faltering, with numerous spin offs getting green-lit and cancelled, and behind the scenes turmoil leading to several creative changes. In addition, there have been increasingly harsh attacks on the finished products, (with most the films getting criticised for being too safe on one hand, and too radical in its changes on the other) culminating in the bitter divisions over The Last Jedi and the underwhelming box-office performance of Solo: A Star Wars Story. As a result, Kathleen Kennedy, the producer in charge of the Star Wars franchise, has become the target of fan protests about the new direction of the Star Wars series. The has led to an outpouring of offensive comments, including numerous racist and misogynistic slurs aimed at female and non-white cast members. Regardless of their concerns about the story and characterisation, the fans responsible for this abuse have permanently damaged the reputation of the Star Wars franchise. If Kennedy’s experience producing some of the best-loved blockbusters of all time (including ET and Jurassic Park) could not protect her from extreme hostility when people started to disagree with her handling of the Star Wars series, then Jennifer Lee will have an incredibly hard time dealing with fan protests if things begin to go wrong for Disney Animation. Lee needs time in order to provide her best work (it took eight years for Disney Animation to go from Chicken Little to Frozen), but if she has too many failures, then internet trolls may hound her out of a job before she can truly peak.

8. Keep the Fans Satisfied

Frozen has the largest and most passionate fanbase of any Disney movie by some distance. Over the last five years, millions of fans all over the world have debated aspects of the movie ranging from the important to the trivial.  Fans have spent hours explaining how Frozen is linked to other Disney movies and discussing the sexuality of a flamboyant side character. There have been numerous Frozen parodies, instructional videos and mash-ups on YouTube and social media, enjoyed by viewers of all ages. The Frozen fandom became so obsessive that a couple divorced because one of them hated the film. The popularity of Frozen even inspired one British university to set up a 'Symfrozium' - an academic conference in which scholars discussed the various reactions to the film. Although this conference highlighted the limitations of Frozen, it also demonstrated that the movie had become a legitimate subject for sociological debate. With the possible exception of Snow White - the first major feature-length animated film - few Disney movies have made such a substantial impact amongst the wider public. Lee has been very careful in her handling of the massive Frozen fandom. Though she has answered some relatively trivial questions, she has generally left the fanbase alone. In a 2014 interview, she claimed that Frozen "belongs to the world" and she wanted to "let the fans talk" and interpret the movie for themselves. Generally, this approach has been a wise one. Having a giant obsessive fandom is a major measure of success, and Jennifer Lee’s support of them and her acceptance of their unusual ideas and theories has helped encourage and maintain Frozen’s status as a unique and iconic hit.

However Lee's decision to not interfere with the Frozen fandom can be a real problem when it comes to expanding the franchise. There have been thousands of fanfics based on Frozen (There are over 10,700 Frozen fanfics on Fanfiction.net alone, not counting crossovers), and a large proportion of these are sequels which take the characters on new adventures and develop their relationships further. The amateurs behind these stories are providing Jennifer Lee with quite a bit of competition. If Frozen fans do not like Frozen 2, they can disregard it in favour of their favourite fanfic. Why trek to the cinema to watch a badly-received sequel when you can stay at home and read like an epic, high-quality fanfic like Frozen Wight? Furthermore, the fandoms are pulling Disney’s movies into a dozen different directions. For example, whilst Frozen’s numerous LGBTQ+ fans were ecstatic about the prospect of Elsa having a girlfriend, it probably came as a disappointment to those who want to pair Elsa with a male lead or leave the romantic stories to Princess Anna. Lee does not have the same vision for her characters as many of her fans, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. However, she needs to take their ideas for the franchise into account if she wants to provide a vision which will satisfy those who prefer a different approach.

9. Encourage New Talent

As Chief Creative Officer, Jennifer Lee’s control over Disney Animation’s output will allow her to influence the creatives directly responsible for writing, animating and storyboarding all new movies released by the studio. In order to achieve her vision and continue providing high quality and inspirational movies whilst dealing with the sexist culture at the studio, Lee will have to hire a variety of new talent. It seems like the focus on encouraging more filmmakers to join the studio is going to be a central aim for her. In her first public appearance since she gained the role of Chief Creative Officer, Lee appeared in a video to promote the new #DreamBigPrincess initiative, which will allow female filmmakers to create shorts about a variety of female role models (including Lee). This will give them a high-profile platform which could inspire them to continue working with the studio. Lee has also been a prominent figure in many other initiatives, such as Girls Who Code, which has encouraged young women to learn science and technology. Most of the women involved in these projects will become trailblazers in other fields, but if just one of them goes on to work for Disney Animation on a regular basis, then Lee’s support of these feminist initiatives will have provided more than just good publicity for the studio…

Although most of the key creatives behind the Disney Revival (such as Chris Williams and Byron Howard) will continue providing hits, Jennifer Lee will need to bring in new blood to provide additional projects, and replace departing Disney veterans (such as the recently retired John Musker). Some of these additions to the company can go on to far greater roles. Lee was one of several new screenwriters drafted in to work on Wreck It Ralph in 2011, but her rapid rise to power has confirmed what a valuable addition she was. Whilst some of the new writers and animators have become important part of Disney Animation's inner circle, others are hired to complete a specific film only, but their role should not be downplayed or diminished. Many of the extra screenwriters they have aided Disney in their mission to provide greater diversity - would Moana have been such a lively and engaging portrayal of Polynesian culture without the input from New Zealand's Taika Waititi and the Hawaiian Kandell brothers? Lee will need to hire a wide range of people who can work together and combined their different skills into a single exciting project. Hopefully, the results of this team effort can inspire a new generation of viewers to follow in their footsteps.

10. Make Disney More Diverse

The most important challenge facing Jennifer Lee is to provide increased diversity both on screen and behind the scenes. Many critics of Disney have complained about the fact that the typical Disney protagonist is young (usually under 21), white, unrealistically thin, and from a traditional fairy tale kingdom heavily based on medieval (or pre-industrial) Europe. In recent years, there has been increased demand for older Disney heroines, characters with disabilities and Princesses who do not fit gender conventions. A recent YouGov poll of British Disney fans stated that 60% wanted to see a Princess who was aged 40 or over, 74% wanted a princess from an ethnic minority and 52% wanted a plus-sized princess. Since the 1990s, Disney have been moving away from the Western template, with Middle Eastern Princess (Jasmine), an African-American Princess (Tiana), a Chinese Princess (Mulan), a Native American Princess (Pocahontas) and a Polynesian Princess (Moana) becoming integral to their line-up, but there are still numerous minority groups yet to be depicted in a Disney Animation film. Furthermore, the idea of having one princess represent each part of the world feels rather reductive. If we can have two stories based on German fairy tales, two stories based on Danish fairy tales, and two stories based on French fairy tales, then it is reasonable to argue that representation of China should not end with Mulan, and representation of the Middle East should not end with Aladdin.

However, increased diversity on the screen means nothing if it is not accompanied by greater diversity in the animation studios. As the #MeToo movement transitioned towards #TimesUp, feminist activism went from exposing sexual misconduct to combatting the culture which allowed it to thrive. This change in our understanding of harassment has been apparent in recent discussions over the Lasster scandal and what it means for Disney Animation and Pixar. A recent article from a Pixar employee who quit because of Lasseter’s misconduct (a condensed version of a much longer blog post) confirmed that the sexist culture there went far beyond one excessively powerful man, with female workers encountering frequent sexual harassment, objectification and lewd comments from Lasseter and other prominent men at Pixar. The damning indictment of Pixar's work environment also included accounts of women being excluded from meetings for being too weak or difficult, and a persistent double standard in favour of male creatives. The fallout generated by Lasseter’s downfall has seemingly affected Disney Animation less than Pixar, because Lasseter was there for a far shorter period of time, and Disney have not been as closely associated with the chauvinist "boys club" culture as Pixar. However, the studio still needs to answer numerous questions about institutionalised sexism. Their progress towards having a female director (let alone a female Chief Creative Officer) has been slow and difficult. Female animators at the studio were initially excluded from the animation department for many years, and a woman did not join the story department until 1987, when Brenda Chapman became a storyboard artist on The Little Mermaid. Chapman and the other female creatives who have come to prominence since have played a valuable role in the development of the strong and powerful female leads who have come to define the Disney brand, but they remain a relatively small minority in the Disney Animation team, indicating that the studio has not advanced as far from its initial patriarchal approach as they would like is to believe. 

Unfortunately, sexual harassment and gender inequality are not exclusively Disney’s problem. Many other powerful figures in animation have been exposed as creeps, perverts and predators, and representation and protection for women is still insufficient across the animation industry. In 2016, it was revealed that only 20% of the animation workforce was made up of women (Only 10% were directors and only 17% were writers) and a 2017 open letter denouncing sexual harassment and misogynistic behaviour pointed out that only 23% of members of the Animation Guild were women. As wide-ranging as the problem is, Disney’s status as the oldest and most important power in the animation industry means that they are under considerable pressure to set a moral example for all their rivals and imitators. Disney were rightfully criticised for their slow and indecisive response to the allegations against Lasseter, and hiring Jennifer Lee to replace him could primarily be seen as a means of assuring protesters that Disney Animation will lead the way in providing women with increased power and influence in the industry. Therefore, Jennifer Lee needs to deal decisively with the sort of bullying and predatory behaviour which has been endemic at Disney Animation and other animated studios. Ultimately, this will be her biggest and most important challenge. We will probably spend ages debating the quality of the movies Lee produces and directs as Chief Creative Officer, but if she improves the situation behind the scenes and makes Disney Animation a more welcoming environment for female staff and advances Disney Animation towards gender equality, she will have succeeded in becoming a role model more powerful and significant than any Disney princess.