The story of Hansel and Gretel goes back for almost a hundred years, when it was first presented as a children's play; and between 1854-1921, as an operatic version. This is explained in the author’s notes, by the writer of this production Norman Robbins.
Like a lot of children's stories of the past, it has all the ingredients for an entertaining performance: namely-the baddies and goodies, an opportunity for slapstick comedy, and audience participation.
What more could the parents and their children wish for?
As the Show opens we find ourselves in the village of Pumpernickel, a small idyllic village on the edge of the forest where everyone is happy. The wicked witch Attrocia hates to see the villagers so happy and vows to use her spells to spoil it. She is constantly fighting with the Forest Fairy who tries her best to protect all the villagers.
Hansel & Gretel are staying with Dame Dyspepsia Do-Good, while their parents are away, and love to go into the forest to collect blackberries for her. The Dame is always short of money and they like to help if they can. Sir Rupert de Rottweiler, the local dignitary, is threatening to send in the bailiffs, Potz and Panz, and have her turned out of her house for not paying the rent.
One day the children go too far into the forest and even though they have left a trail of breadcrumbs, they could not find their way back. They are lost. Attrocia finds them and entices them further into the forest until they come to her gingerbread house.
The gypsies, who live in a clearing in the forest, realise that some of their children are missing and let it be known that they would pay a reward of 100 gold pieces to anyone who could find them.
Meanwhile, Attrocia captures Hansel and places him in a cage and forces Gretel to work in the kitchen. As Attrocia angrily starts to show Gretel how to use the oven, Gretel pushes her in and quickly closes the oven door behind.
Gretel then gets a key and releases Hansel from the cage the witch had put him into.
Now the witch has gone, peace and calm once more descends on Pumpernickel and everyone celebrates by dancing and singing.