Heartbreak Productions specialise in open air theatre tours and have several shows touring the country throughout the summer months. I had seen a couple of their previous shows, and having enjoyed them, was looking forward to seeing what this company would do with a piece of modern children's literature, aiming their production for the primary school age bracket (7 - 11 year olds).
As I took a seat on the lawn outside Salford's Ordsall Hall, with the lovely building as a backdrop, the sun was beating down so strongly (and no shade was to be found anywhere) I found myself having to go inside the hall and watch the second half of the production from an upstairs room with an open window! How the cast managed with some rather heavy and ungainly costumes, with several changes, I don't know, but the costumes were very good and, unlike many touring outdoor theatre companies, didn't skimp on this nor on the staging and set.
In fact the set was designed very well. A large oblong stage erected centrally enabling action to take place on three sides (where audience were also seated) as well as on the stage itself. Behind this a curtian which was used in the same way curtains on the sides of traditional stages are used, in order to mask entrances and exits and allow the cast to change unseen. The simple, but very effective, changing of a single hanging feature from a lamp-shade, to a mirror ball, to a hospital sign etc was very clever and worked excellently. The plumbers' tubing as car and window were less effective.
The story of Gangsta Granny is now well known and loved by children, and Walliams' popularity as a children's author increases year by year. I have not read the book, but somehow have the feeling that this adaptation by David Kerry-Kendal was not the best, as it failed to keep the youngsters in this afternoon's audience enthralled. This was not helped by some very unimaginative and repetative direction from Scott Worsfold. The first act was dialogue heavy with most of the verbal jokes falling flat (not even being picked up by the adults); whilst the second act was slicker and more physical, and there were some groans from the adults, it was really only when the cast were given rein to involve the audience did the younger audience members perk-up. The teaching of various dances throughout, or getting a dad from the audience to dress-up and make a fool of himself gained laughs and interest, as did the few occasions when the cast walked into the audience or threw water at them. However, these instances were too few and far between, and during the majority of the play - which was far too long for an outdoor show for children (2 hours) - they were only sitting still and behaving because their parents had told them to, not because they were watching and engaged with the action.
The actors are to be commended for performing this withourt microphones, and being able to project their voices suficiently. This is something I am very keen on as I spent some time as a voice and movement teacher, and disapprove of the new breed of actor who needs to rely on technology in order to be heard. I therefore found this part of the production the most noteworthy. Sadly the songs and dance routines did little to engage the interest of the target audience, and despite the 5 cast members giving their all, the applause at the end was somewhat apathetic.
Daryl Hughes played the protagonist Ben, a young boy who goes to stay at his grandma's whilst his parents enter a dancing competition, only to find out that his cabbage-soup-loving grandma has a dark secret and he then ends up helping her to gain her final wish of stealing the Crown Jewels. His performance was empathetic and reminded me in many ways of Micahel Crawford playng Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Gina George was the Gangsta Granny, played with a glint in the eye. The rest of the cast playing multi-roles were Rachel Dussek, Howard Scott Walker and Danny Milwain.
As an endnote, I would also add that asking the children to score the dancing with the score cards was a very good idea. This was spoiled completely however by having the score cards as part of the programme - which one had to purchase! Issue score cards separately or give the programmes free!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 27/8/19
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