★★★★

“Solstice may be a small show, but it has a large heart”

Wild Rumpus’ show Solstice, now running at the Battersea Arts Centre, is an easy winner if you are looking for a show for young children this holiday season. It’s just big enough in space and long enough in time for kids and their carers to enjoy a specially curated experience that brings the magic of the outdoors, indoors. There’s a light trail, storytelling, larger than life puppets, and activities designed to enchant the littlest audiences. Solstice isn’t just about the winter solstice, either. There’s a room in the show for every season, including a space where kids can gather to create their own intentions for “their next turn around the sun.”

Wild Rumpus is better known as an outdoors festival producer, where it has gathered an impressive reputation for creating immersive woodland events. Such events can last several days and include camping near the site, as well as getting involved in literature, music, dance, comedy, costumes and make up. Solstice indoors—and in a big city like London—loses some of Wild Rumpus’ original intent, which is to “provide family arts in the wild”. Solstice is so well designed and carefully thought out, however, that everyone will enjoy a brief trip to the world outdoors, even if it is inside. And Solstice is a timely reminder that the natural world is all around us if we know where, and how, to look.

Solstice is no mere light trail like so many others that are currently on offer around London. Each part of the experience merges seamlessly with the next, and there’s a story linking every space in the show. Solstice is about a quest to find and comfort the winter wolf who is missing his hibernating friends from the warmer seasons. The quest begins in spring, with a space filled with dragon sized eggs (some already cracked open!) and a beautiful larger than life sized, light filled dragonfly. Children are given activity sheets at the beginning of Solstice to draw, count, classify and create as they move through the rooms. I don’t want to spoil the surprises that follow meeting the dragonfly, except to say that the skills of storyteller George are a good preparation for the most magical encounter of them all—meeting the winter wolf. If parents are concerned that any of these experiences may be too overwhelming, kids can step out and take a break at any time. Every performance is relaxed, and the Battersea Arts Centre has also put aside a chill out space if needed.

Solstice may be a small show, but it has a large heart, perfectly sized to introduce kids to the world outdoors. Wild Rumpus and the Battersea Arts Centre have teamed up to create a lovely space where families can pause and reflect on the passing of the seasons.

SHAKESPEARE’S R & J at the Reading Rep Theatre

★★★★

“Elijah Ferreira gives a stunning performance as Romeo.”

This intriguing show was written by American Director Joe Calarco in 1997. It translates Romeo and Juliet’s ‘star-crossed lovers’ into pupils who act out the play at a repressive Catholic boys boarding school. The idea of containing a play within a play was very much Shakespeare’s own. A cast of just four are all on stage together for almost the entire evening as we see Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ unfold through their adolescent eyes. Maybe ten percent of the text is new, including some of Shakespeare’s sonnets, latin drill – ‘amo, amas, amat’ and words from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Right at the start it’s established that Student 1 has feelings for Student 2 and it’s these two that take on the roles of Romeo and Juliet – in intense performances that don’t always get the approval of their fellows.

A note in the programme by Director and Company founder Paul Stacey underlines their commitment to giving voice to the under-represented including those that identify as LGBTQIA+. This powerful production does just that in a way that some may find poses a playful challenge to their expectations. And if a few traditionalists are offended by this re-purposing of such a familiar text, that is their loss.

Elijah Ferreira gives a stunning performance as Romeo. Every word is carefully weighed and delivered with exacting clarity and dedication to meaning. He uses gesture with almost telegraphic expressiveness. Brayden Emmanuel is physically much taller than Ferreira and as Student 2, his involving and energetic Juliet defies any expectation of camp girlishness.

“a lively and rich-textured show”

Luke Daniels is Mercutio, Friar Laurence and Lady Capulet. Expect theatrical fireworks from the start of the second half when Romeo learns of his banishment. Daniel also shines as Lady Capulet in the scene that follows, as well as giving his own take on Mercutio’s memorable ‘Queen Mab’ speech about dreams. Tom Sowinski has some great comic moments as the Nurse and then flips into the brawling Tybalt in the duel with Mercutio.

A clever and beautiful set by Anna Kelsey literally steams with the intensity of the drama and integrates some pleasing lighting (John Rainsforth) which adds great atmosphere to this intimate and involving studio piece. The costumes ring true whilst avoiding the colour coding of the houses of Montague and Capulet seen in some productions of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

The play within the play employs some stylised devices to considerable effect. A shouting chorus of disapproval condemns the young lovers. Swords become ropes and cloth. Action is slowed. The boy actors (or is it the Shakespearean characters?) observe each other performing and we see their reactions to the story they are unfolding.

Jamie Lu’s sound design is strong on thunder and lightning and for those that know it, there are some touching ‘Heart Stopper’ moments as the two young lovers get together.

Tag Archives: Harry Elletson

Solstice

★★★★

Battersea Arts Centre

SOLSTICE at Battersea Arts Centre

★★★★

“Solstice may be a small show, but it has a large heart”

SOLSTICE at Battersea Arts Centre

Reviewed on 5th December 2023

by Dominica Plummer

Photography by Harry Elletson

Previously reviewed at this venue:

Little Red Riding Hood | ★★½ | December 2022

Tanz | ★★★★ | November 2022

Hofesh Shecter: Contemporary Dance 2 | ★★★★★ | October 2022

Solstice

Solstice

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page

Shakespeare’s R & J

★★★★

Reading Rep Theatre

SHAKESPEARE’S R & J at the Reading Rep Theatre

★★★★

“Elijah Ferreira gives a stunning performance as Romeo.”

“a lively and rich-textured show”