CARIBBEAN CHRISTMAS. To 14 January.
Young People
CARIBBEAN CHRISTMAS
by Deborah Aita
Forest Forge theatre company Tour to 14 January 2005 school performances only
Runs 1hr 5min No interval
Review: Timothy Ramsden 14 December 2004 at Abbotswood Junior School Totton
If you want a super show in Hampshire, go back to school.Here's a hot theatrical property; a sun-soaked winter tour that has a little to do with Christmas and everything to do with Jamaica. Aimed at 7-11s, it received double approval from years 3 and 4 at Abbotswood roaring delight when it's asked for and remarkable concentration at other times (especially from an audience sitting on a gym floor).
A colourful picture of a Caribbean Santa and his donkey backs the action. It's the main Christmas contribution and makes the point that Christmas iconography is culturally-conditioned. And climatically where there's no snow, there's no sleigh. And without fires, no chimney pots, so Santa slips in by the keyhole.
Leading the action is Tyrone De-Rizzio's elderly storyteller Isaac, his shopping bags full of useful items for the stories he tells. Several focus on that famed Caribbean trickster, the spider Anansi, who naturally turns up behind him (cue panto calls from delighted audience) when Isaac's nodding off prior to a story-session.
Add puppets one incarnation of Anansi is as a wrist puppet, then there are a couple of squeaky mice, Guava and Mango and Isaac's stories move magically between physical action and humour. Several audience members are politely called-on to play their parts before the piece ends with party-time and a mass creation of reggae rhythms and dance movements.
He's always pointing morals, is Isaac, but Anansi and other of Lewis Matthews' versatile creatures represent a contrasting anarchy. Hardly surprising the overall point is that there's good and bad in all people.
Though even more overall is the cultural celebration and a very good time being had by all.
Isaac: Tyrone De-Rizzio
Anansi etc: Lewis Matthews
2004-12-14 23:35:32