DUCK! To 27 January.
London.
DUCK!
by Philip Osment.
Unicorn Theatre (Weston Theatre) To 27 January 2008.
Tue-Sun various dates 10.15am, 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 7.30pm.
Audio-described 15 Jan 1.30pm (+Touch Tour 11am-12pm), 20 Jan 2.30pm (+Touch Tour 121pm-1pm).
BSL Signed 18 Jan 10.15am, 19 Jan 2.30pm.
Runs 2hr 5min One interval.
TICKETS: 020 7645 0560.
www.unicorntheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 15 December.
Hans Andersen meets the modern city.
What with Neil Duffield’s Ugly Duckling in Sheffield and Styles and Drewe’s musical Honk! nesting back at Newbury, Philip Osment’s new play contributes to a crowded Christmas for Hans Andersen’s tale of identity-finding. This is a point Osment’s script emphasises; “You’ll only find out where you belong if you become you,” Ugly is told when his self-esteem’s about to drop through the floor after he’s been mocked, scorned and bullied.
These words are spoken by ancient Queen Boudicca, supposedly buried under Hampstead Heath, centre for this very urban version of Andersen. Features of the capital’s skyline appear - Canary Wharf, The London Eye – and the various species contributing to the play have the qualities of a city crowd.
Any young person might recognise the taunts, the playground bully working up to lashing out, or the sinking feeling of worthlessness that make Liam Lane’s Ugly feel life’s not worth living. And when the predatory Fox and Crow start suggesting he’d like to die, memory of modern school-student suicides come to mind as starkly as the social images evoked by Dickens.
Lane’s gawky, alert-eyed wonder at a hostile world is matched by a growing strength as he bursts from the box where humans have sheltered him and starts running wildly round their room. When he transforms into a swan, smooth, confident and elegant, it’s a moment for potential revenge before it’s one for rejoicing. Interesting to see how some of those who vilified him earlier now stand around wanting to know him.
Rosamunde Hutt’s production moves smoothly through events, helped by John O’Mahony’s Irish bagman living on the Heath, giving a sense of the mythical element in traditional storytelling, his squeezebox emitting elements of carols or, at one point, the mere sound of expiring air.
In a strong cast, Adam Baxter offers rare moments of sympathy for Ugly, while Inika Leigh Wright is impressive both as the Mother brooding on her egg and retaining maternal affection for the unconventional son she hatched, and as the Crow who self-seekingly seeks to make the hounded exile more than half in love with easeful death.
Zach/Tom/Duckling 3/Swan: Adam Baxter.
Mum/Der/Miss Hetherington-Smythe/Duckling 2/Swan: Gbemisola Ikumelo.
Ugly: Liam Lane.
Older Duck/Hen/Boudicca/Lurch: Hazel Maycock.
Declan/Mr Mallard/Coot/Fox: John O’Mahony.
Tariq/Gan/Duckling 1/Swan: Richard Sumitro.
Inika Leigh Wright: Mother Duck/Alice/Crow.
Harp/Piano: Ruby Aspinall/Serafina Steer.
Director: Rosamunde Hutt.
Designer: Louise Ann Wilson.
Lighting: Ian Scott.
Composer/Musical Director: Thomas Johnson.
Choreographer: Matthew Bugg.
Movement: Lawrence Evans.
Dramaturg: Carl Miller.
2007-12-17 10:13:13