MATE Productions is back and, following its phenomenal success with Treasure Island, for the first time has produced a second outdoor touring show this year. Led by Artistic Director and CEO Gaynor La Rocca MATE brings over 18 years’ experience creating site specific and outdoor touring theatre and received Arts Council England funding for this tour. In a climate of arts funding cuts and cash strapped councils this is a phenomenal achievement and it delivers in spades.
Will O' The Wisp And The Fire Sprite is an immersive storytelling walkabout fairy-tale production around parks and gardens of Merseyside this autumn. This community-based theatre company in the old Museum, Prescot, on the outskirts of Liverpool, engages with the local community with a call to arms after each performance for volunteers to act, sing, dance, build sets and offer any skills (while learning new ones) to their lively productions. It is this community factor with a constant source of fresh talent that makes their shows so magical. The sheer enthusiasm and dedication of the ensemble company this time produces a family-friendly storytelling spectacle engaging children of all ages and adults alike.
Will O' The Wisp And The Fire Sprite is an enchanting fairy-tale walkabout adventure touring five parks and gardens across Merseyside between 20th October – 4th November. There is a choice of a daylight or twilight show to go on a quest led by the Story Wizard to find the Wisp and save the Fire Sprite, the Princess Ember. Along the way audiences meet a whole host of fairy-tale characters – trees elves, fire sprites, white witches, gnomes, wisps and trolls; in beautiful locations around the parks. I took seven-year old Annya to the twilight show and this is what she said, ‘I thought it was truly magical. It was the first time I had seen an outdoor play. It was more than I expected. (I want to mention the fire juggler but don’t want to spoil the surprise). I loved the characters and the fact that the audience had a job to do. I would definitely recommend it to other people’. Annya, aged 7.
The experience started with the family audience congregated indoors. Professor Patsy Stone (Gaynor La Rocca), in black witch’s hat and robes, appeared rather intoxicated by a potion of strawberry daiquiris. Basic housekeeping included, ‘watch out for tree roots and low-lying branches,’. The more experienced carried lanterns and torches and everyone seemed to have had the correct wellies, boots and outdoor clothing. (A pre-show notice included, ‘Participants must provide their own torch or head-torch.’) Led by Patsy, the audience quickly snaked outside to the first of eight woodland locations, lit by fairy lights, where we met the Story Wizard (Francesco La Rocca). The children enrolled at wizard school and chose (and kept) a wand that proves crucial to the story in their search for The Will O the Wisp (Conor Burns) who darted about too swiftly to be caught.
The constant change in location each with its own design and group of singing and dancing characters kept the adults and even the smallest audience members enthralled as the audience walked from scene to scene around the woodland. Each scene provided clues and activities to unravel the engaging story of the search for a kidnapped Fire Sprite, Princess Ember (Holly Halford) and there were plenty of surprises on the way. Starting with the glorious Stink (Mike Mackenzie) and Scabbatha ‘call me Scabby’, (Tish Hughes) The Trolls, who played their roles with great gusto, all the characters were in fabulous costumes and presented well-rehearsed routines. Beautifully dancing Tree Elves preceded hilarious tall singing dwarves Lanky Longshanks (Taran Harris) and Stumpy Basstring (Luke Woolhouse) and there was a host of gnomes to rival Willy Wonka’s Oompa Loompas.
The Story Wizard managed to guide the audience and control the children with the aid of Patsy Stone as daylight faded and pole mounted bright lights were carried by torch bearers to light up the path to each setting. White witches Megan Feery (witch queen), Aimee Harris (singing witch) and Trisha Hodgson (rapping witch) resplendent in silver and white surprised with an engaging routine before offering drinks all round. It was these touches that show MATE’s understanding and care of their audience that keeps bringing people back to their enchanting shows. The finale is nothing short of spectacular as the woodland is truly set alight with a full cast performance. Children even received a Wizard School graduation certificate.
As Annya said, ‘It’s better than I expected’. For me, it’s an outdoor immersive experience that truly delivers.
Reviewer: Barbara Sherlock
on - 22/10/18
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