This is my first foray into Mumuland, the magical Pasifika fairy world setting for this Auckland Theatre Company production.  The colourful adaptation of the classic Grimm Brothers folktale Hansel and Gretel is magical indeed; the sheer amount of energy, hilarity and music packed into one hour is simply incredible. 

Conceived by Lauren Jackson and Lolo Fonua, The Lolly Witch of Mumuland has two hungry siblings and a child-eating witchypoo with a house built from confectionary, but that’s about where the similarity to the source material ends, both narrative-wise and stylistically. It goes without saying that this rendition is generously ingrained with Pasifika culture, language and all-round flavour. 

With no money or gainful employment to sustain their family, Hans (Faamanu Vaueli) and Greta (Lavinia Uhila) take it upon them selves to venture into the Deep Dark Forest with their well-dressed pet pigs Poaka (Tavai Faasavalu) and Prudence (Luse Su’a) to find their entrepreneurial aunty in the hope she can give them work. 

The valiant protagonists’ playful turns are augmented by an accomplished supporting cast, including loving but anxious Dad (Samson Chan-Boon), the pig’s pint sized party-animal pal Popo (Aaron Ryan) and the aforementioned hefty, forthright Aunty Sila (Unaloto Funaki), twin sister of Hans and Gertie’s dear departed mother.

If a story is only as good as its villain, then the quality of this outrageously madcap tale is assured by Kate Louise Elliot’s eponymous Lolly Witch: sinister yet deviously charming, as needs must, with great singing chops to boot.  It’s impressive that her hatefulness stops short of actually terrifying the tinier kiddies in the audience; the overt cannibalism references, among other dark themes, are effectively balanced by the absolute fun-ness of everything that’s going on. 

Performing with joyful passion and consummate showmanship, the cast numbers over 30 – including the band, the fairies, the singing /dancing chorus – and ranges from first-timers to twenty-year veterans.  Judging by the sheer quantity of spirited vitality, it would seem directors Alison Quigan and Troy Tu’ua probably had more of a job reining in the players’ manic, infectious energy than needing to build any up. 

Musical directors Nastassia Wolfgram and assistant Sefa Taouma have created and curated an extensive soundtrack of classic and modern songs, plus a handful of original compositions, which altogether would easily fit a double album.  The awesome band features bass, guitar, two percussionists and multi-talented DJ ‘Flip the Script’, backing up the onstage action with deft musical prowess.

For a deep dark forest there’s a lot of colour going on in Rachael Walker’s appealingly ostentatious set design.  Costume designer Sarah Burren’s flamboyant collection likewise comprises a plethora of bright colourful spectacles, the trophy winner being Aunt Sila’s lurid sparkly yellow onesie in which she busts out the breaks in the climactic winner-take-all dance-off battle.

Predictably, The Lolly Witch of Mumuland unapologetically exploits the inherent sweet tooth in us all; no dietary-fable type overtones here.  The only clearly stated moral message is about the importance of allegiance to one’s family: a fine message indeed, along with other attendant themes like fighting for your freedom and not eating your best friends even if they’re pigs.

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