'Room on the Broom' is a popular children's book by writer and playwright Julia Donaldson, which has been translated into 22 languages and has won 6 book awards. 2013 saw it made into an animated film (nominated for an Academy award) so to say there is a little bit of pressure for Tall Stories to deliver a 'truly magnificent' stage adaptation is an understatement.
As young children in the audience were dressed in the book's trademark purple and orange, as witches, casting spells as they descended on The Lowry's Lyric Theatre in Salford on a sunny Spring Tuesday afternoon, the story-book's popularity was evident. The excited crowd expected to be entertained, as did I. The story follows a witch and her cat as they invite a number of other animals to join them whilst travelling on her broomstick.
In the auditorium, the lights gently lowered on a creepy looking wood, two tall trees either side of the stage with broomsticks as branches. Lit only by the glow of the giant, circular moon centre-stage (also framed by broomsticks) we were welcomed by a flight announcement. A group of happy campers arrived on stage with their sleeping bags in tow. One camper boasted about his new red sleeping bag, modelling it for us, as we were given a subtle teaser of the shapes of mud monsters and the dragon that were to come. This was a great ploy to introduce to the story and to ease those little minds into a place where “not all witches are scary”. The campers heard a witch flying up above and...WHOOSH away we went.. into the magical world of Julia Donaldson.
Yvonne Stone's puppets delighted little ones and adults alike. From the moment we met the first puppet we were enamoured. A shaggy, waggy tailed, foolish dog bounded on with the witches hat in his jaws. Mistaking the broom for a stick he chased it, much to the cat's dismay he licked her and this dog said the word 'nice'...a lot. However, the crown for 'king of the puppets' had to be (drum roll please)...Frog! He stole the show from the human performers too, the audience just loved him. He licked wands and kissed witches, this cool frog did not care. I've always thought if difficult to portray a puppet frog in a kid's show ever since the muppets but this one looked just right. With his springy long legs and his lively elongated arms, he won our hearts from his cheeky first burp. This Frog from the deep south of America had the children in the audience up on their feet dancing to the banjo sounds as he sang his American roots' style song. Frog won his star of the show title with his "ribbets" and croaks and even my favourite corny joke; 'I've got so many stories and they're all ribbeting!'. Charlie Guest's puppeteering was groovy and fun.
The choreography seemed a little muddled at times but worked at its best in simple short, snappy movements or during the simple flying through the sky sequence, simply lit by the moon (and James Whiteside's lighting design). During these sequences the young crowd seemed to be taken on a magic ride alongside the characters. All was quiet and attention was on them, that doesn't happen often with a group of 3+year olds. Amy Harris had children eating out of the palm of her hand with an effervescent performance.
With songs, music and physical theatre throughout the audience certainly enjoyed the ride. Bouts of audience participation were welcomed from such a young audience although I would have liked to have seen a little more. We enjoyed being asked to help out and children often shouted, eager to join the fun “it didn't work!” one young boy shouted as the witch waved her wand in another hopeless spell. A moment when the participation truly was with the audience was when the red Welsh dragon asked an unsuspecting mother 'Do you mind madam if I eat your child?'. Everyone was encouraged to join in the sing-a-long finale when cat suddenly livened up and the show finished on a high.
They say that children are truthful critics, and if that is so, the Frog puppet in Tall Stories' version of 'Room On The Broom' should be ruling the world. A 'truly magnificent' version of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's book.
Reviewer - Cathy Shiel
on - 2/4/19
No comments:
Post a Comment