The Company of Wolves

It’s certainly a unique start to a play, with the audience sitting cross-legged on picnic blankets sketching their “heart’s desires” with glitter, glue and felt tip pens. There’s no indication of the darkness to come in 3Bugs' adaptation of the 1984 film directed by Neil Jordan – itself a subversive take on Little Red Riding Hood.

The Company of Wolves opens with a grandmother telling granddaughter Rosaleen about the dangers of straying from the path in the woods – a none-too-subtle allusion to the girl’s virginity. The old woman, whose unreconstructed views on marriage scare the youngster more than the beast itself, tells brutal stories about men turning into animals. “The worst wolves are hairy on the inside,” she warns.

When the blacksmith’s son takes Rosaleen into the woods his unwanted sexual advances cause her to flee into the arms of a suspiciously lupine stranger. The lascivious charmer proffers a wager about who can get back to granny’s house first. At stake is the soul of his rapidly-maturing and curious prey.

Both the main narrative and the cautionary tales are performed with relish by the company of four players. Masks are utilised to portray certain characters, while the dulcet tones of a folksy troubadour adds atmosphere.

The increasing sense of dread is amplified by the sheer proximity of the performance. The ‘wolf’ stalks through, over and under the audience – not always seen, but often heard and felt as he lurks in the shadows. It’s a satisfyingly kinetic piece of gothic theatre with an ending that will provoke much post-show discussion.