Cunning Little Vixen at the RNCM: simple but richly detailed

The Cunning Little Vixen

By Rohan Shotton, 28 March 2026

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“Abundant aesthetic richness was provided by the the enormous attention to choreography”

Reviewed at Royal Northern College of Music: Theatre, Manchester on 26 March 2026

Janáček, The Cunning Little Vixen

Martin Pickard, Conductor

Harry Fehr, Director

Nicky Shaw, Set Designer

Mark Jonathan, Lighting Designer

Royal Northern College of Music Orchestra

Esther Shea, Fox

Clementine Thompson, Vixen

Jay Broadhurst, Schoolmaster

Charlie Barker, Forester

Bonnie Staude, Chocholka

Ruth Harley, Frantík

Morgan Rosati, Mrs Paškova

Sophia Parker, Pepík

Jem Gray, Forester’s wife

Sarah Rappoport, Lapák

Ellena Hicks, Owl

Oscar Bowen-Hill, Rooster

Merel-Magali Cox, Woodpecker

Gabriel Jones, Mosquito

Sam Rose, Pásek

Khaled Issa, Harašta

Benjamin Finnie, Badger

Christian Loizou, Baritone

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Rohan Shotton

Rohan has reviewed concerts and opera across the UK and Europe, but chiefly in Manchester, where he enjoys conducting and playing percussion and piano. He works as a hospital doctor, having studied in St Andrews and Manchester, and tweets as @RohanShotton.

A simple but richly detailed Cunning Little Vixen at the Royal Northern College of Music