THEATRE REVIEW: Handa's Surprise - Z-Arts Theatre, Manchester.

Over the last couple of years or so, during our enforced periods of staying at home and lack of contact (whether that be social or theatrical), one London-based children's puppet theatre company had been posting regular online content for free on their Youtube channel: workshop tutorials as well as many short puppety performances of well-known children's literature. The company was Little Angel Theatre. And so, when I saw that they would be performing a live theatre piece, and so close to home, I jumped at the opportunity of reviewing it.

Eileen Browne's book, 'Handa's Surprise' had been here adapted as a two-person, 35 minute play for very young children (primarily the 2 - 5 year olds).  A large sand-coloured piece of material had been lain on the theatre floor as both children and parents were invited to sit on cushions etc around three of the four sides. It was friendly, inviting, colourful, and intimate. 

The two actresses were already on stage and the whole was completely non-threatening and the children felt happy and relaxed immediately. Our two actresses spoke and sang in both Swahili(?) and English and as an adult I found this absolutely fascinating as I subliminally learned several words in the language, however I would perhaps think that this might be somewhat confusing for their target audience who have not yet even mastered one language; and the main purpose of the book is to teach youngsters English adjectives, and the best ones to use to describe the fruits in Handa's basket. 

It was a lovely story however with plenty of repetition, and the two actresses pitched their acting and singing at exactly the right level throughout, as they worked around the audience, involving the youngsters as much as possible. Some of the puppets used for the animals were excellent. I enjoyed the giraffe and the monkey especially, whilst others didn't truly work perhaps as well as they ought to have done, since they were not understood by the childen until they were told what they were supposed to be. I speak of zebra, antelope and parrot. Although the children still wanted to touch them.

The 35-minute running time was just about right too for the young ones, and at the end they were invited to come up onto the playing area and dance along with the cast. The set design allowed us to place ourselves in the arrid heat of a rural Kenyan village, and the director made good use of the few stage props dotted around the perimeter. An enjoyable production which kept the children in this afternoon's audience totally engaged.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 28.5.22