Review of ‘Little Women’ (2025 tour): “Immature take on the literary classic leads to a growth-lacking show”

The Richmond Theatre hosts this new stage adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott’s coming-of-age classic. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if its exploration of girlhood is, in any aspect, femme-tastic.

When French composer Claude-Michel Schoenberg and librettist Alain Boublil sought out to turn Victor Hugo’s 1200-page epic saga into a 2-hour operatic musical, everyone’s response was that, though they might be entitled to dream that dream, it probably belonged to a time gone by. Not only would they be committing sacrilege (for some reason, Hugo specified in his will that he didn’t wish for his wretched characters to break into song), but the prospects of adapting a 5-volume 19th-century novel into a commercially successful show were scarce at their best. What happened next, however, is a charming tale that’s brought anything but misery to those involved.

Every adaptation comes with a challenge. Louisa May Alcott’s over 700 sheets of semi-biographical stories bring no smaller burden than transforming Hugo’s social-conscious fiction into a digestible West End extravaganza. The difference lies in the dexterity of the hands making the cuts — and in how they reassemble the remaining pieces so they still respect and even enhance the spirit of the original.

Anne-Marie Casey’s approach to the classic book doesn’t flaunt too much aptitude when undertaking the task. On the whole, it presents us with an entertaining portrayal of the March sisters — but ninety percent of that achievement is due to the quality of the source material. There’s not much coming from her side that results in any element of uniqueness, sharpness, or introspection. And wistfully, much of the script’s contribution is to annihilate the significance of Alcott’s narrative.

Its core issue stems from trying to encompass so much with such little time. The jaunt may still be almost 3 hours long, but the play’s pacing is constantly stained by an unpleasant sensation of rush — preventing any proper emotional buildup from ever materializing. Consequently, the events in the plot can amuse us, but they hardly resonate with us — as the action doesn’t halt enough for the personages to reflect on the arc they are going through.

There is some level of poignancy to be taken by, but it’s once again rooted in Alcott’s craftsmanship — only coming to the surface through the use of verbatim lines borrowed directly from the novel. But that’s as much pathos as we get throughout the performance — which often comes across as unripe and unprepared, lying closer to a reenacted summary of the piece rather than an artistic feat with a voice of its own.

Its unrefined staging decisions don’t bring much to the table either, most unfortunately. A few tree trunks scattered around create the atmospheric texture. Some prop chairs, a dining table, an old upright piano, two shelves, and the occasional use of a fleeting curtain provide the rest — accompanied by some snow effects and lighting changes. Rather than dynamic, its general vibe feels incomplete. Its lazy choices only serve to heighten the design’s overall clunky outlook — brandishing its weaknesses while reminding us of how abstraction and imaginativeness are the great forgotten in the picture.

As for the company, we can appreciate their efforts to draw out the personages’ appeal and interest through their slightly hyperbolic style. Yet, none of the renditions comes off as striking or meaningful — with all of them lacking naturalness and layering, unable to bring out the vulnerability, humanity, and stir that constitute the essence of the story.

Surviving the storm of adaptation but still needing to learn how to sail its ship better, Anne Marie-Casey’s version of Little Women may help introduce newbies to a revolutionary moment in American literature, but its endeavors are likely to sit in the corner shy, and quiet, with fewer opportunities than the many Beths in the world. With an adequate focus and more proper execution, it may take a fair load of compliments in the end. So far, though, it shall stick to coffee.

All pictures credit to Nobby Clark.

Little Women plays at London’s Richmond Theatre until 7 June. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara