“The show was so captivating that no one wanted to miss a moment – I don’t think I have ever witnessed such a quiet room of small children!”
What do you get when you combine live saxophone and accordion with catchy songs AND an extremely impressive array of props? The answer – a production that brings such joy to children and adults alike.
Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s beloved characters such as Tiddler The Fish, Monkey and of course The Smartest Giant all have their moment in this weird and wonderful display of artistic excellence.
The music and lyrics play a key role, with Benji Bowers (2 times Olivier Award nominee and Winner of Global independent film awards for Best original soundtrack for Weekend Retreat) at the helm.
Combining jazz rhythms, three part vocal harmony and various instrumental interludes, the audience feel as though this is part theatre show and part concert. It is ideal for parents who want to introduce their children to live music at an early age, as it isn’t too intrusive but fits perfectly into the story lines.
I loved how the costumes were wacky and yet even they had some significance to the story, when their stripy socks represented the characters of the caterpillars.
The set was made up of various ladders, crates and baskets, perfect for hiding objects and characters. This gave the actors plenty of space to improvise and come up with new ideas, should the opportunity arise.
The quality of acting and performing was astounding, as a trio of trained actors/musicians (Leonie Spilsbury, Lauren Silver and Brian Hargreaves), they shared character roles between them and were often juggling a prop, instrument and character all at once.
You might expect disruptions from such a young audience, however the show was so captivating that no one wanted to miss a moment – I don’t think I have ever witnessed such a quiet room of small children!
Reviewed by Stephanie Legg
Photography by Robin Savage
TIDDLER & OTHER TERRIFIC TALES
is at the Leicester Square Theatre until 3rd September
“an urgent and important message that everyone should hear”
The Scar Test presented by Untold Arts and directed by Sara Joyce was a fantastically honest production reflecting how refugees are treated from individual female perspectives. Written by Palestinian-Irish playwright Hannah Khalil the production was centred around verbatim interviews with women detained in the Yarlswood Immigration Removal Centre. The play explored the injustices and humiliation faced by refugees and portrayed an important message. The narrative consisted of snapshots of different stories and the frustrations faced by innocent women trapped in the system.
The characters were personable, often incorporating humour to emphasise their relatability. Rebecca Omogbehin’s performance was distressing and powerful. She played a woman who fled her country after suffering unspeakable abuse whilst trying to maintain dignity and pride. She poignantly captured the sense of shame the woman felt by having to reveal her scars and waiting to find out whether the physical and emotional damage would be deemed sufficient evidence to grant her asylum in the UK. Shazia Nicholls displays seamless versatility in her portrayal of a wide array of characters, notably a frustrated and exhausted solicitor desperately trying to assist these struggling women who desperately need help and legal representation.
The set was minimal with the presence of four ceiling mounted CCTV cameras, never allowing the audience to forget that the detainees were always being watched and gave it a prison like feel. The use of costume by Amelia Jane Hankin was also effective, with the whole cast in grey giving a sense of institutionalised uniformity and the lack of individual identity felt by the detainees. All the performers wore hoods that were put up when playing the role of security, the faceless, insensitive representation of the system.
The production was a moving and harrowing insight into the emotional turmoil faced by female refugees. The performances were extremely emotionally charged and at times distressing but it was a sensitive, hard-hitting production that successfully communicated an urgent and important message that everyone should hear.
