ALEX AND THE WARRIOR. To 31 January.
Tour
ALEX AND THE WARRIOR
by Ann Coburn
NTC tour to 31 January 2004
Runs 2hr One interval
Review: Timothy Ramsden 24 December at Capheaton Village Hall
Lively direction and acting of an audience-friendly action play.Each winter NTC theatre company brings cheer to villages in various parts of the country, not least their own Northumbria where their van daily takes them through some of England's most spectacular- and in winter, potentially wildest - scenery. On top of performing in a different space, with a different acoustic almost daily, company members spend up to several hours a day setting and striking set and lighting. Yet they consistently produce high quality, energy-concentrated performances. It's enough to give village hall drama a very good name.
For this year's Christmas show (two others toured this autumn, and will again in spring) NTC has a modern fairy-tale from one of their regular writers. Ann Coburn's clicked on to the possibilities of computer games to bring a new dimension to the life of Alex, resentful his grandad's in hospital, alone with his speaking cat. Game-hero The Warrior bursts through the screen into Alex's world. Unfortunately he's pursued here by a couple of evil Skarg intent on wiping him out.
So, plenty of room for adventure, and moments of comic invention. Coburn also contrasts the softly feline, and feminine world of Kim Evans' prowlingly wary Cat with the masculine assumptions of The Warrior. Gary Kitching makes a good job of a role which demands limited vocal expression, his face bursting into comical hope whenever Alex's explanation of some earthly phenomenon lets Warrior interpret it as a weapon.
His real weapon, though, is the stupidity of the Skarg duo late on, they reveal they hope to defeat The Warrior while he's still on earth, before moving on to world domination, but by then it's hard to take them as a threat. With their ridiculous earth names picked up at random, they're comic as any Ugly Sisters. Stephen Wedd's leader has a touch of John Cleese in his fury and threats of retribution back home against Jackie Fielding's ever-optimistic sidekick.
If Alex begins with the story of a desolate boy; by the end fun, games and chases have largely taken over from themes in a script benefiting from Gillian Hambleton's characteristically lively, well-acted production.
Alex: Alan Park
The Warrior: Gary Kitching
Cat: Kim Evans
Skarg 1: Stephen Wedd
Skarg 2: Jackie Fielding
Director: Gillian Hambleton
Designer: Robyn Fleming/Cath Young
Music: Jim Kitson
2003-12-30 00:57:58