Bristol Tobacco Factory Theatres Review – Rapunzel: A Hairy Tale
Summary
Rating: ★★★★★
Running dates: 27th November – 17th January 2026
Where to see it: Tobacco Factory Theatres
Duration: 2 hours + 20 minute interval
Keywords: Adventurous, playful, fun and brilliant!
Photography by Camilla Adams
Review
When the days get shorter, there’s a chill in the air and you hear the tinkling of Christmas songs in the shops, it can only mean one thing...it’s time for the Tobacco Factory theatres Christmas production!
This is always a highlight of the Christmas calendar, and this year was no exception. This year’s production saw us delve into a reimagined world of the Brothers Grimm fairytale ‘Rapunzel’. This version is studded with song and dance and charmingly named ‘Rapunzel: a hairy tale’.
We first meet Rapunzel, as you might expect, trapped in a tower believing the ‘neath’ (or the outdoors to you and I) to be full of monsters who will gobble her up if they had half the chance. Through her years in the tower with only her aunt Serafina for company, she has learnt to map the night sky and developed a love of music. Her days are spent waiting for her aunt to return from tending to her garden, so she can ‘let down her hair’ for her to climb up.
Photography by Camilla Adams
Life takes an unexpected turn however, when one day the lively Benito barrels into the tower, quite to Rapunzel’s shock as she believes she and her aunt are the only people in the world. Benito’s arrival signifies the start of life changing adventure for Rapunzel, opening her eyes to a life of good and evil she could never have dreamt about.
With an ensemble of just five, the cast brings so much life and playfulness to the stage, it fills the theatre to bursting. I was bowled over by the energy the cast brought, whether it was throwing wild shapes to funky music, the odd acrobatic stunt or heaving themselves up Rapunzel’s hair, the energy in the room was electric. Each cast member portrays the unique traits of their characters dazzlingly and by the end of the show I felt a bit sad to be leaving the characters I’d come to love behind. I particularly enjoyed the unfolding of the rather sassy friendship between Teazy Weazy (the Queens hairdresser) and the Queen herself, Donatella which brought some of the biggest laughs from the audience.
This is a truly impressive cast, who are clearly dedicated to their crafts. Each of them has an enviable talent at playing a myriad of musical instruments (very well too!) plus exceptional singing voices and acting ability. Witnessing all five performing together felt really special to witness, often earning well deserved claps and cheers from the crowd. The music was standout from start to finish and it is jam packed full of catchy, original songs which I found myself wishing I could listen to at home. There were also some classics including Bongo Cha Cha Cha by Caterina Vlente peppered in for good measure (enter the record payer stage prop!).
Photography by Camilla Adams
The set was simple, with the most prominent prop being a record player (told you!). If you’re more accustomed to the complex backdrops akin to bigger stage plays, don’t let this put you off, as less is most definitely more in this instance! The cast move around the stage in a way that gave us just the right amount of information we needed to understand the setting (e.g. a tower, the palace, a house), leaving the rest to the audience’s imagination.
The lighting design was the cherry on the cake of the production and brought drama and softness where the set couldn’t. The script is clever, twisty and full of fun. It weaves together emotion and comedy perfectly, drawing the audience in and leaving us really rooting for the characters. With cheese puns aplenty, you will leave looking forward to your Christmas cheeseboard!
Rapunzel: A hairy tale really is a playful and warming tonic for these long, cold nights. I came away feeling uplifted and hopeful, which in today’s world can be a hard thing to achieve. It’s a truly heartwarming tale of adventure and bravery and will leave you pondering on the small joys you get from life and how we can all embrace those, just a little bit more. The Tobacco Factory productions have become a much-loved tradition for us at Bristol Girl. If you are not careful, they might just be for you too.
Standout quote or moment: It has got to be Donatella’s solo, in the first part of act two. Absolutely brilliant, so funny and so much character and sass.
See if: You want to delve into a fairytale world that will transport you out of your wintery slumber on a roller coaster ride of emotions and fun.
Last impression: A small but truly impressive cast who left me feeling uplifted and reflecting on the small joys that life can bring.
Written by Megan Lee