HIPPITY HOP. To 30 April.
Young People
HIPPITY HOP
by Tim Webb
Oily Cart Theatre company Tour to 2005
The Dancing Baby 45 min No interval
The Runaway Pram 50min No interval
Review: Timothy Ramsden 16 December at Studio 2, Clwyd Theatr Cymru Mold
Carefully crafted theatre for the very young.Nowadays, some young people's shows count their audience members in months rather than years. It's something needing experience and sensitivity, both found in Oily Cart and its director Tim Webb. This programme uses the same physical environment for two pieces aimed at early years.
In both, young audiences can explore, with parents, carers or teachers, a space filled with bright coloured objects. There are tall houses with tunnels to crawl through and other play things, to accustom them to activity, the space and the three performers.
Then they're brought to a mat, surrounded by four cupboard-like shops with graffiti-style colouring. There is no blackout, actors introduce themselves and the stage manager, in guise of a friendly DJ. Nothing is left unaccounted to provoke fear or uncertainty.
In turn the four shops' open up. Each focuses on one sense (taste is tastefully left out). The Dancing Baby, for 6 months to 2 years, emphasises experience of material textures, accompanying adults encouraged to dance' their babies into the flowing materials. Similarly chances arise to pass round scented objects, strike sounds from resonant things and enjoy the sparkle of light-reflecting materials.
For 2-4s The Runaway Pram introduces a simple narrative with a trek round the space to reunite baby and mother. Action takes equal place with sensory impressions, movement and participation being called for as each shopkeeper in turn shows their wares then is asked to help find baby's mother. In both shows rhythmic musicality incorporating verbal repetitions justifies the overall title.
At Mold there were small audiences, with about as many adults as children. This is probably necessary for Dancing Baby (which could also serve for older people with sensory disabilities). Among the older group it led to some inhibition, with youngsters self-consciously backward at coming forward, unusually for this age.
With larger numbers (though the space limits crowds) or, more important, a larger percentage of children (the tour also takes in Sure Starts, nurseries and playgroups) The Runaway Pram will build a happy, confident atmosphere, theatre that enables young people to feel they have a role in the world about them.
M C Flow: Sowfside
Wizadura: Adura Onashile
Sparky Marky: Mark Foster
Director: Tim Webb
Designer: Claire de Loon
Lighting: Jeremy Nicholls
Composer/Musical Director: Max Reinhardt
Movement: Jonzi D
Puppet maker: Simon Auton
Sound Technology Design: Nick Weldin
2004-12-30 23:51:04