Review: Baltic at Cumbernauld Theatre

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There is a distinct chill in the air at Cumbernauld Theatre this winter, but it isn’t entirely emanating from the stage. Baltic, this year’s festive offering, is a brand-new adventure produced by visiting company Ginger and Jester Productions. It serves as a stark reminder of the venue’s current reality: operating on fumes following Creative Scotland’s decision to exclude them from multi-year funding.

Where last year the theatre dazzled with a superior in-house production of Pinocchio, this year they rely on the good souls at Ginger and Jester to keep the festive lights on. The result is a production that is absolutely fine—a game adaptation of The Snow Queen, heavily influenced by Disney’s Frozen—even if it feels a little by the numbers.

Frozen Assets

The narrative follows a familiar trajectory. We have Elsbeth, a brave young lass on a quest to save her brother Kai from the clutches of the evil Snow Queen, Chilblain. While the script is a little light on the traditional “it’s behind you” interplay, it is lifted significantly by a lively, self-possessed turn from Lauren O’Hare as Elsbeth. She anchors the production with confidence, particularly during a sterling rendition of Miley Cyrus’s ‘The Climb’.

The heavy lifting isn’t just left to the heroine. The creative team are pulling double, sometimes triple duty. Writer and Director Jerry Taylor steps onto the boards as Sammy the Slush, the clownish best friend. He is a personable jester, though he leans a little too heavily on one of this year’s most inexplicable classroom phenomena: the ‘67’ meme.

Meanwhile, Abbie Watson serves as Choreographer, Musical Director, and the villainous Chilblain. She deserves double kudos for all of this, plus the musical arrangements; the opening number, ‘Good Morning Cumbernauld’, is particularly strong. Whether original or repurposed, the quality of arrangement and delivery is admirable. Likewise, a skeleton dance set to Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra, sung well by Watson, is a visually engaging set piece that suggests a higher budget than I presume is available.

The ensemble is rounded out by Alex Robertson, who attacks the role of Dame Agnes Avalunch (Elsbeth’s mother) with appropriate gusto, and Kathleen McClenaghan as Nolaff. The latter is a rather sweet talking snow-woman—robbed of her nose and prone to blackmail—who clearly nods to a certain snowman from Arendelle.

Safety First

Where Baltic stumbles is in its reluctance to embrace danger. Taylor’s script finds a way to wrap things up without hurtful conflict, resulting in an adventure without consequences. Not every villain needs to be a misunderstood victim of circumstance. Personally, I prefer them with a little more edge—believably dangerous rather than just grumpy. Watson has plenty of presence, but Chilblain ultimately comes across as more petulant than lethal.

This aversion to conflict culminates in a promised magic battle finale that never materialises. It is a pity, as a little genuine peril is good for upping the ante in pantomime, however nailed-on the happy ending may be.

There are cute moments, certainly. A comedic battle with a lively sausage in the Snow Queen’s kitchen lands well, and the Queen’s hench-trolls—brought to shaggy, gobbledygook-spouting life by a game band of local children—are adorable, echoing Illumination’s Minions. But one cannot help but feel the production is playing it safe, offering a solid, well-delivered show with enough “Oh yes you will’s” to satisfy the demographic, but missing the magic spark of high-stakes theatre.

The show also looks good thanks to Iona Gray’s cheerful, non-cluttered set, combined with Magic Light Productions & Shona Quayle’s rather glamorous costuming.

The Ghost of Pantomimes Past

Whatever the merits of Baltic—and it is a solid evening’s entertainment—there is no comparison to the artistry of Cumbernauld Theatre’s in-house work. The venue is currently waiting to hear if Creative Scotland will grant them £100k for a project essential to keeping the lights on.

It would be to the funding body’s enduring disgrace if they do not. This is one of the few theatres in Scotland situated in a community not traditionally served by the arts, a home to myriad groups offering support to the underserved. When left to produce their own work, Cumbernauld Theatre has proven capable of remarkable, beautiful creations.

Baltic fills the gap competently, but it also highlights what is being lost. The theatre needs more than a visiting production to survive; it needs the resources to return to the creative powerhouse it has proven it can be.

Featured Image: Baltic – Ginger and Jester – Poster

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Baltic will play Cumbernauld Theatre until December 24th, 2025. For tickets and more information, click here.

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