I unashamedly use this pun: I was blown away by tonight’s performance. The Wrong Crowd are heading in the right direction with this family piece of theatre, Kite. They are the makers of playful, absorbing, and original theatre – flying around the UK and taking this play on tour.
It had no speech, the narrative was told with movement, set, props, lighting, music, dance, and puppetry. From what I’ve reviewed of children’s theatre so far, it usually breaks the fourth wall and certainly features the performers speaking. As this did not, initially there was the question of whether or not this production could hold the attention of the children (the real critics) for the full hour. It did. I’ve found, on occasion, that contrary to what you might assume, talking appears to disengage children during shows. No speaking effectively made the show accessible to a variety of children and adults.
With this production, I would say. 'Think Raymond Briggs’ 'The Snowman' but a novel version of it'. Re-housed in her Grandma’s neat, prim and proper flat, a newly orphaned girl found a kite. It came to life as the girl grieved for her mother, and whisked her away on a perilous but life-changing adventure. She was unaware that her Grandma possessed her own sort of magic. The kite, the wind, and the wild and wonderful elements of nature brought them together; forming a tender bond that no storm could ever shatter.
In the opening moment, we saw the girl looking through a box of her mum’s old stuff, including a dress she used to wear. The heartfelt sadness, mourning, and love was wholly there. Both the girl and the Grandma acted and interacted in a naturalistic style, but with the absence of speech their facial expressions were a little more heightened. This technique worked superbly and had the power to teach children to open up and express themselves non-verbally. There was a spontaneity and grace to the character’s movements. Evident was the seamless switching and changing over of sets, in a fast-paced and adventurous story.
The pre-recorded, Howard Blake-inspired musical score was vivid and dramatic, it engrossed you into the story. A frequent flute motif signified the character of the kite. The assortment of melodic ideas played by a selection of instruments mirrored the action which took place on stage. From time to time, the music was quieter to allow for the live sounds made on stage to make a fuller impact. The emphasised sound of a cup been placed on a saucer, for example, highlighted the poignancy of the given circumstances at that point. Grandma’s flat creatively doubled-up as a set displaying London’s most famous landmarks, which was just cracking.
Now, I didn’t even know indoor kite flying was a thing until I saw this play and I have to say the choreographed movement of the kite was gorgeous. Lovely moments of interaction and play. It was the variation in pace which caught my eye. Every so often, the kite moved around in a chaotic but controlled fashion; other times it slowly soared majestically like an eagle. The puppetry, partner lifts, and mime were precise and well-rehearsed. The boldest, biggest, and bravest moments in the story were conveyed to full effect. Another scene involved a homeless person on the streets, showing a balloon puppet with no face. It was an incredibly touching section, and a reminder of just how much of an issue this still is in modern society. Homeless people might be ignored or forgotten about by some, but random acts of kindness still mercifully exist.
There may have been no spoken dialogue, however character’s thoughts and this transformative journey of family love and catharsis couldn’t have been more transparent. I’d like to think the wind (the kite’s life-force) was the girl’s mother watching over her.
Reviewer - Sam Lowe
on - 29/3/19
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