MAGIC, menace and mayhem are being let loose at The Actors’ Hub in Subiaco this October – but it’s all in the name of art.

A selection of the best fairytales by the Brothers Grimm are being brought to life as part of Grimm Tales, adapted for the stage by Carole Anne Duffy and directed by Amanda Crewes.

It features The Actors’ Hub students close to graduating from The Gap course – a one-year program that prepares them when auditioning for performing arts courses across the country, such as those offered by NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) and WAAPA (WA Academy of Performing Arts).

“Grimm Tales is full of all the magic and wonder you find in your imagination with a little pinch of mischief thrown in,” Crewes said.

“I am fascinated in, what seems to be, the dying art of storytelling and I was attracted to this play because of the enchanted world of the Brothers Grimm.

“There’s a lot of deliciously gruesome fun as livers and lungs are salted, simmered and served for dinner; eyeballs are pecked out by disgruntled birds and toes and heels are cut off so feet can fit into shoes.

“Yet the fairytale heroes still manage to confront their enemies and triumph over fear and injustice.”

With many people isolating themselves with iPods, laptops, iPhones and other electronic devices nowadays, Crewes said Grimm Tales was a chance to escape from the cold technical world with stories to warm the soul.

“A professional German storyteller, Elfriede Kleinhan, noted ‘The age for hearing these fairytales is three years to death’,” she said.

“The stories of the Brothers Grimm don’t only speak to the young and, as a result, Grimm Tales is a production for all ages.

“They manage to cleverly balance magic with the right amount of gruesome, which means the stories come to life on stage like a dream.”

After graduating from the WA Academy of Performing Arts in 1998, Crewes went on to work professionally with Effie Crump, Class Act, Handzon, Agelink, Kompany M, Melbourne’s Playbox and Barking Gecko Theatres, Dirty Dicks Theatre Restaurant and the Perth Theatre Company.

She has performed with several professional independent theatre groups in shows such as Italian American Reconciliation, Wolfe Lullaby and Conundrum, which earned her an Equity Guild Award nomination for best supporting actress.

Crewes set up The Actors’ Hub last year to provide a serious focus for those wanting to learn more about the acting profession.

Similar to Sydney’s Actors Centre and Melbourne’s 16th Street, it’s a true hub where people can focus on the craft of acting, working with industry professionals as much as possible.

She said one of the most exciting elements is seeing young actors transform into characters on stage in productions such as Grimm Tales.

“It’s a great challenge for them, particularly given the vast number of characters they have to play in this show,” she said.

“I have a desire to excite young children and adults through the magical world of theatre and I believe this is the best play to achieve that.”

Grimm Tales plays at 7pm, October 25 and 26. Tickets are $25, $20 concession – book on 6143 3568 or by going to the what’s on page at www.actorshub.net.

The Actors’ Hub is located at the Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco.