JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. To 22 January.
Young People
JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
by Roald Dahl adapted by David Wood
Polka Theatre To 22 January 2005
4,11 December 2pm & 5.30pm then Tue-Fri 11am & 2.30pm Sat 2pm & 5.30pm (except 22 Jan 10.30am & 2pm) Sun 9,16 Jan 2pm no performance 25-27 Dec, 1-4 Jan schools performances am & pm 30 Nov-3 Dec;7-10 Dec, 5-7;12-14;18-21 Jan
BSL Signed 18 Dec 2pm
After-show talk 4 Dec 5.30pm
Watch with Baby performance 11 Dec 2pm
Runs 1hr 45min One interval
TICKETS: 020 8543 4888
www.polkatheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 27 November
Peach of a piece paired with fine performances in plum parts.For everyone aged 5 and over, says Polka and they are surely right. Only diehard cynics wouldn't take to this imaginative production of David Wood's adaptation, made for Cardiff's Sherman Theatre. It's not surprising - think of the expertise in entertaining young people that make up the show's ingredients.
How Roald Dahl will eventually square-up with J.K. Rowling remains to be seen but his status as a favourite young people's writer is undoubted, while adapter David Wood is a long-time leader in young people's theatre. Then there's Polka, origin of so much excellent work for the young, whose Associate Director is responsible for the production. At a time of year when there's so much ready to exploit seasonal theatregoing habits, young imaginations are in safe hands here.
I say this as someone far from Dahl's greatest admirer; I find his writing awkward and his characters even more simplistic than his plots. But there's no denying the vigour of the trip this piece takes audiences on, making the most of the crudely-drawn story outlines. Introducing the insect characters who will accompany James right at the start is colourful and audience-friendly. It also allows the actors to play other, briefly-seen characters and return to their insect identities, helping the story along while keeping matters clear.
So Timothy Speyer and Suzanne Robertson can double as the appalling, lazy aunts, equally unpleasant as corpulent Sponge and pointedly spiteful Spiker, who make the suddenly orphaned James' life in England more a childhood exile than will be the New York existence he moves to with his giant insect friends.
Roman Stefanski, with designer Keith Baker find several inventive way to present the Giant Peach; flesh billows out around the stone-house at its centre, or the peach drops from the air, expanding as it does so; it appears as a giant arc for the characters mid-Atlantic flight to clamber atop, and becomes a huge air-ball audiences toss over their heads.
Colourfully atmospheric, gently-paced yet never ambling in its story-telling, this sympathetically performed show is a fine part of the seasonal scene.
James: Saikat Ahamed
Grasshopper/TV Reporter: Jonathan Kemp
Earthworm/Old Man: Leroy Liburd
Ladybird/Aunt Spiker: Suzanne Robertson
Centipede/Aunt Sponge: Timothy Speyer
Spider/Tour Guide: Anna Wollin
Director: Roman Stefanski
Designer: Keith Baker
Lighting: Jim Simmons
Musical Director: Olly Fox
2004-11-28 12:37:58