.LITTLE CINDERS. To 27 January.
London.
LITTLE CINDERS.
Little Angel Theatre 14 Dagmar Passage N1 2DN To 27 January 2008.
Thu & Sun 10.30am & 11.30am.
Runs 30min No interval.
TICKETS: 020 7226 1787.
www.littleangeltheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 17 January.
Beautifully suited to its age-range and a joy for adults too.
This story for 2-5s sits alongside the Little Angel’s longer Cinderella (for 5+). Though using the same set, puppets and Grimm-based version of the story, it’s a distinct piece, finely-suited to its age-range. The Grimm brothers didn’t employ the supernatural Godmother, pumpkin, rats and midnight-terminated spell. But with theatrical magic like this, who needs fairies?
The differences are largely durational, and not just to make an overall shorter show. More background is explained verbally and Cinders doesn’t have the long periods of solo misery in her scullery which is a notable feature of the longer account. What is shown relates to how very young audiences perceive the world around, and its visual fascination - director Peter O’Rourke’s reason for the opening images of a tree growing.
It’s the tree Cinderella plants over her mother’s grave, and to which she and the Prince eventually return, acknowledging memory of Cinderella’s mother as the source of her strength and survival. Each stage of the growing tree has green or russet leaves attached, large and angular, offering a visual fascination in itself. It’s an example of the show’s whole method, presenting images for themselves rather than, primarily, as links in a progressive narrative.
This is for an age group responding to what’s happening rather than determining their own external journeys. And Cinders’ menial tasks are crystallised as a puppeteer gently tells her she must scrub the floor. The puppet’s responsive look summarises a relationship that may not be in the story but which resonates with so many parental explanations.
There’s also the explosion of colour as two then more crinoline-decked ladies waltz off to the ball, a vision that fades to leave Cinders ragged and alone; and the happy resolution later when she appears at a ball (there’s more than one in the Grimms) and the Prince crosses the performance space, leaving the gaggle of fine ladies to meet her.
Then there’s colourful comedy in the active rustling of tissue-paper to represent the sisters’ fussing over their ballgowns. Expert in its performance, with Hannah Marshall’s sympathetic score heightening key scenes, this is first-rate throughout.
Puppeteers: Anthony Best, Nele de Craecker, Mandy Travis, Rebekah Wild.
Director/Designer: Peter O’Rourke.
Lighting: Kieran Dicker.
Music: Hannah Marshall.
2008-01-18 15:40:14