Review: PETITE ROUGE: A CAJUN RED RIDING HOOD at Imagination Stage

Deep in the bayou of the American south lies the brassy and vibrant Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood. A warm tale for these cold months, Petite Rouge is, of course, a cajun take on the classic Grimm tale, featuring a bright world of animals, songs, and life lessons. 

In this adaptation, Little Red Riding Hood is Petite Rouge (Jordan Leah Embrack), a duckling living with her Mother, Mrs. Duck (Edima Essien), and cat, TeJean (Stephen Russell Murray). Petite Rouge longs to see the world, to explore all it has to offer, but is too young and inexperienced. That is until she gets to go on an errand with TeJean to deliver some gumbo, hot sauce, and other things to her Grandmere (Aja Goode), who isn't feeling too well. 

The show introduces the first of its conflicting worldviews. Petite Rouge is excited to see the world, but TeJean is anxious and unsure. While TeJean is technically, it seems, Petite Rouge's pet, the two share more of a sibling dynamic, which is apt for young children, as they are likely able to see themselves in one of the two "siblings." Their philopsophies battle throughout the show, with often Petite Rouge's zealous yearning beating out TeJean's sensible caution.

Thus begins their journey. They take a little raft/boat down the bayou, a set piece which exemplifies the show's effective and charming design (Sophia Tepermeister). It is simply some wood on rollers, made to look like a raft, but the way it moves and is "pushed" makes it feel real and heavy. It is not long before the raft takes the two toward trouble. 

The whole show's look/aesthetic was, and not to trivialize it, fun. It evoked the feeling of the bayou—the Spanish moss, the murky water, the ancient trees. And, just as importantly, the set was mutable and transient. Spanish moss was pulled away to reveal an old steamboat, which in turn transformed into a New Orleans balcony. The locations were immediately recognizable and made for dynamic blocking by Director Nathaniel Claridad. A particular endearing choice comes with the covers of the stage lights, which were fashioned to look like fat little frogs. 

The cast is small and tight-knit, consisting of six people, three of which have static roles, the other three who play myriad parts. At the center of it all is Jordan Leah Embracks Petite Rouge. She plays the role with tenderness and heart, and her dulcet tones are soothing and emotive. 

And when it comes to performances, no star shines brighter than Perrie, who plays the villainous alligator, Claude. He is simply hypnotizing. From the multiple dramatic and silly accents/characters to his tongue-in-cheek fourth wall breaks, he was infinitely charming. 

Fortunately, though all performances were polished and bursting with vibrance. The chorus/ensemble of Carl L. Williams, Aja Goode, and Adima Essien colored a sonic and visual world. They are able to become a crowd, a group of rowdy crocodile hunters, and a chorus of crustaceans. Their voices do a lot of heavy lifting throughout the musical numbers of the show. They also make an impressive amount of quick changes. 

The show, which is just over an hour long, is jam-packed with songs. They are enjoyable and fit together as a body of work. Though some throughout will surely stick in your head (The Ballad of Petite Rouge for example), there is a great stint of songs a little after halfway through the show. They are in quick succession and happen when TeJean and Petite Rouge are escaping Claude in a big Mardi Gras crowd. This is also where the dancing (Maurice Johnson) is the most exciting and varied. A very fun trip to the big easy, indeed. 

These three also get to enjoy the most costumes (Paris Francesca), which were endearing and melding with each other and set deliciously. They gave enough room for the actors to truly shine, while hinting just enough, and with wit at the animal they were portraying, as well as melding a bit with a fanciful take on Cajun aesthetics. The titular Petite Rouge for example wears a white dress with a corset, bright orange tights, and a hat that looks a bit like a white bird with an orange beak (à la Björk swan dress).

The show teaches an important lesson about safety, and following your instincts when it comes to strangers and new places. We learn, that while it's good to be excited about the world and experience new things, it's also important to listen to your loved ones when it comes to safety, and know danger when you see it—always something important for young ones to know. 

But of course, this information is delivered in a fun, bright, and exciting way. One that will get kids up and out of their seats. 

The piece also likely introduce many young audience members to Cajun culture and its rich traditions and people. Some of the performers in the show speak with Cajun accents (dialect coaching by Gerrad Alex Taylor), which, to untrained ears, sounds accurate. Though, as an adult, it is a bit funny to hear the word "cornbread" get hit with such a hard and delibrate accent every single time it is uttered. The accents and centering of Cajun culture also provide a realistic example of the world outside the DMV, showing younger ones how people who live differently and speak differently than us are no different than us, and at the end of the day, we all want to be safe and to experience an exciting world. 

Petite Rouge: A Cajun Riding Hood is a fun trip down the bayou for the whole family. This clever and funny reimagining of the classic tale is perfect for young ones ages 5 and up and is entertaining and humorous to even the oldest in the room. Children can experience live theater, learn a lesson, and enjoy the music, while their adults can do the same thing and wonder what a sausage that ducks eat is made out of. 

Information on tickets, including sensory-friendly performances can be found on Imagination Stage's website. The show runs through February 8th.

 

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