There’s a moment in Young People’s Theatre’s world premiere of Wicked Nix when the familiar comfort of a fairy story shifts, like shadows lengthening at dusk, into something more primal and profound. This masterful adaptation of Lena Coakley’s award-winning novel — brought to life by playwright Paula Wing in a production under Stephen Colella’s assured direction – proves that the most powerful stories are those that dare to challenge their audiences, regardless of their age.
The tale begins deceptively simply. In a verdant forest realm, the self-proclaimed “foul fairy” named Nix (a disheveled, green-clad Davinder Malhi) stands guard over the forest. To his great sorrow, he has been left behind by the Fairy Queen, who returns to our world only one day every year from the Summer Country, where the fairies reside. When a human settler takes possession of a cabin in the forest, he disrupts Nix’s carefully maintained world. Nix wants everything to be perfect when the Queen returns – and a human in the forest? That’s the definition of imperfect. So Nix works to drive him away. But what first appeared to be a simple tale of fairy mischief transforms – almost imperceptibly at first – into an unexpectedly complex exploration of identity, belonging, and the sometimes painful journey of self-discovery.
The production’s visual poetry begins with Ting-Huan 挺歡 Christine Urquhart’s masterful set design. Using a palette of forest greens, earthy browns, and mysterious purples, simple canvas screens and natural-looking shrubs and logs create a world that feels both ancient and alive. Two key structures – the settler’s house that appears in the woods’ heart, and the house of the child Rose and her mother at the woods’ edge – provide access points to other stories, creating a shifting landscape whose depth mirrors the story’s emotional terrain. Nix’s own dwelling is playfully located beyond the traditional boundaries of the stage – suggesting a world larger than what our eyes can easily see.
The technical elements of the production enhance the ethereal atmosphere with both restraint and impact. Fairy presence is suggested through simple yet effective means: dancing lights and haunting, modulated voices that send shivers down the spine. And when the Fairy Queen finally makes her entrance, it’s a moment of theatrical magic that taps into our deepest fairy tale memories, evoking the kind of primal awe that classic literary villains like C.S. Lewis’s White Witch have long planted in young readers’ imaginations.
The small but mighty cast rises to the worldbuilding required by the story. Davinder Malhi’s’s Nix is the very spirit of entitled fairy mischief: he is in constant motion – moving high and low and side to side across the set, hiding and then bursting into view while shifting between surreptitious mischief and entitled puffery. He does a lovely job of conveying the growing doubt behind his brash assertions – with modulations in his face, body, and voice betraying his uncertainty. Qianna MacGilchrist conjures a delightfully full-bodied version of the child Rose, who is Nix’s secret friend. Unable to sit in one place or even still her racing thoughts, she is the quintessence of precocious, impulsive, and naughty — but also resourceful and loyal, loving childhood.
Michael Spencer-Davis’ fatherly Mr. Green is a fascinating conundrum: his garb is that of a simple outdoorsman, and his attitude is calm and fatherly . . . but bit by bit, we come to understand that he wields quiet but irresistible power in the forest. Meanwhile, James Dallas Smith’s visitor to the forest is a serene but assertive presence. He plays the role with winning restraint, kindness and empathy – it’s an unexpected turn, sensitively done. And finally, Christine Horne plays a dual role. As Rose’s mother, she is the voice of conventional wisdom and motherly love, continually fretting over Rose and working to keep her safe from the fairies. And as the Fairy Queen, I’ll say simply that she is deliciously unlike that.
Ultimately, what sets Wicked Nix apart is respect for its young audience’s emotional intelligence. The production never shies away from presenting genuine danger or complex moral dilemmas. Instead, it trusts children to navigate its twisting narrative, which cleverly remixes familiar fairy folklore into something fresh and compelling.
At its heart, this is a story about the intricate balance between wants and needs, choices and consequences, and born and chosen families. The production handles these weighty themes with a delicate touch that never feels didactic, reminding us — like the best fairy tales — that true magic lies in the courage to face who we really are.
The world premiere production of Wicked Nix runs through May 15, 2025, at Young People’s Theatre. This 75-minute journey into a world where nothing is quite what it seems is ideal for audiences aged 8-13 (and their accompanying adults). Reserve tickets at youngpeoplestheatre.org.
© Scott Sneddon, Sesaya Arts Magazine 2025
