Show and Tell: 'The Secret Garden' Blooms in Seattle

The bottom line

The Tony-award winning musical The Secret Garden was first  introduced to audiences 25 years ago. Now, the playwright and composer have come together to revive the play for contemporary audiences, creating a production at The 5th Avenue Theatre with memorable music, magic, mystery and a touch of humor. Playing through May 6,The Secret Garden will enchant older kids through adults.  

Highlights

The Secret Garden is based on the 1910 children’s book by Frances Hodgson Burnett about 10-year-old Mary Lennox, a girl who was orphaned by a cholera epidemic while she was living with her parents in India. She is sent to live with her reclusive uncle in England, who is grieving his own loss, that of his wife Lily. Mary wanders the lonely house, which is haunted by the ghosts of the past. When she finds a neglected, walled garden, she and her sickly cousin Colin work to bring the garden back to life -- and to bring life back to the household.

From the brambles that outline the stage to the garden in full bloom at the end, the set provides the perfect backdrop for this story. The English mansion is created with four movable panels which form a silhouette of the house including the two levels and staircases. The actors move in and out of doors and between the two “floors” of the house, making it feel three-dimensional. Special effects such as fog, thunder and lightning and black lights add to the Gothic atmosphere. A large painting of Lily, hanging over Colin’s bed, sometimes “comes alive” as Lily sings from the frame.

The show is packed with talent. Tam Mutu, who plays Archibald Craven, the uncle, is a Broadway/West End Award winner; Daisy Eagan, who plays Martha (a maid who helps Mary), won a Tony for her portrayal of Mary Lennox in the original Broadway Show; and Lizzie Klemperer (Lily Craven) has performed in a Tony-nominated Broadway show. Bea Corley inhabits the petulant character of Mary perfectly and has a beautiful voice. Our favorite performance was by Charlie Franklin, who played Dickon (Martha's brother) with a light and humorous touch. 

The music is lush and perfectly performed by the singers who are backed by a full orchestra.

Parent tips

Parents should know that the themes in The Secret Garden are heavy, and in the beginning, Mary’s family dies in a cholera outbreak. There are lots of ghosts, but they aren’t particularly frightening.The biggest themes I had to explain to my kids were about death and epidemics, and how kids were treated during that time period. Kids will love the fun special effects, the set and the humorous child actors. Find content advisories here.