North Shore Theatre Company: Frozen Jr - Review by Trish Swinkels

Clever staging and a talented cast create the perfect ‘icy’ setting for a heartwarming rendition of ‘Frozen Jr’ with North Shore Theatre Company.

The Zenith Theatre at Chatswood is packed with an enthusiastic audience, there to support the opening performance of the Snowflakes cast. Little ones in Elsa and Anna dresses all around me are suitably impressed with the visual growth and character development that occurs seamlessly on stage, as Young Anna and Young Elsa grow up before our very eyes. Always a highlight for Frozen fans, Young Anna’s ‘Do you want to build a snowman’ has us all considering the contrasting joy and sadness of a young girl, confused and missing her sister’s presence, portrayed with just the right amount of naivety, innocence and depth by Ruby Macmahon Jackman. Young Elsa, played by Alice Tracey in this cast, shows great affection and warmth towards her on-stage family as she begins to realise the gravity of her situation. 

As the story grows, so do our leads - Katina Lantouris (Elsa) and Nina Tchan (Anna) complement each other perfectly on stage, particularly later in the show as they reprise ‘For the first time in forever’. Lantouris gives Elsa vulnerability, especially in her heartfelt rendition of ‘Dangerous to dream’, and throughout her performance successfully demonstrates a blend of unbridled power and apologetic fear. Nina Tchan as Anna brings experience and depth to the role, with strong, crisp vocals throughout and just the right balance of fun, idealistic young love and a mature, supportive concern for her troubled older sister.

Ashlyn Mun enhances the crowd-favourite role of Olaf with great comic timing and such an engaging presence on stage. Mun’s performance is embellished by the use of a puppet rather than an all-consuming costume. This is a masterful choice made by Director Jessica Scanlan and her team, allowing the audience to fully connect with Ashlyn Mun’s ‘Olaf’.

In contrast to Olaf’s innocence, Hans’ deceitful ways are initially well-hidden by Leo Carroll’s performance. He presents well as an engaging love interest and clearly enjoys the power he is given by the townsfolk. Similarly suited to his role, Lachie Keegan’s Kristoff has the right blend of goofiness and charm, ably supported by his sidekick Sven, played as great comic relief by Ammi Kennedy.

Those who love the story of Disney’s Frozen know that it is Elsa’s power, the power to turn the world to ice, and the heartwarming moments that bring warmth back to Arendelle, that are the strong foundations of this musical. So North Shore Theatre Company were faced with the challenge of how to demonstrate such icy power across the compact Zenith stage - and in this task the production team truly excelled. Enter - the Snow & Summer Chorus. These five talented dancers are captivating as they spread their icy tentacles, surrounding Elsa and sending her winter powers throughout the lands. Choreographer Charlotte Wickson’s vision creates such a powerful representation on stage - from the strong dance routines given to the Snow & Summer Chorus through to the upbeat ‘Fixer Upper’ routine which the passionate Ensemble cast thoroughly enjoyed.

Director Jessica Scanlan is to be congratulated on bringing together such a strong cast who clearly work well together on stage to bring the audience an energetic, polished performance. The Supporting and Ensemble Cast members all add texture and talent to this great show and Music Director Tali Greenfield effectively utilises their voices in some beautiful harmonies throughout.

A final shout out to the Frozen Jr marketing team, managed by Jade Old, who created two unique programmes to cater for two Lead Casts - Snowflakes and Icicles. Each programme utilises alternate images to truly support and value the cast on stage - a lovely approach to fully acknowledge each group of talented performers and give them their moment to shine. 

Thank you to the cast and crew of North Shore Theatre Company’s ‘Frozen Jr’ - giving us an engaging one-hour production filled with drama, joy and ‘warm hugs’.