Barbera Maxwell, www.whatsonstage.com
Date Reviewed: 13 October 2012
WOS Rating: 5 STARS

Those lucky enough – as I was – to see Daniel Morden at the Tobacco Factory Theatre last year performing Sleeping Beauty and Alcestis will know as soon as you see his name that you are in for a treat.

Well Daniel is back at the Factory telling more tales in his own inimitable way, accompanied by a trio of musicians called The Devil’s Violin Company. He weaves his way through the evening with his spell-binding voice holding the audience in the palm of his hand, while he takes us through the stories leading us on a breath-taking journey of suspense.

We all love to listen to stories whatever our age and when you get a master of the craft, as Daniel most certainly is, you are carried away on the wings of imagination to worlds where anything can happen.

We are drawn into the stories and transported to King Arthur’s Camelot, the Breton shores and the ancient Britain of King Lear. [Daniel Morden’s voice is hypnotic and powerful, and sense of timing excellent – he knows just when to pause and how long to keep the audience on’t he edge of their seats.

The stories are beautifully accompanied by The Devil’s Violin Company – a trio of musicians with Oliver Wilson-Dickson on violin, Sarah Moody on Cello and Luke Carver Goss on accordion. Their hauntingly beautiful and original music enhances the stories and seem to combine with the words so that it becomes almost impossible to separate the words and music.

A truly delightful evening.