LITTLE WOLF'S BOOK OF BADNESS. To 5 January.

London.

LITTLE WOLF’S BOOK OF BADNESS
book and lyrics by Anthony Clark music by Conor Lineham based on the book by Ian Whybrow

Hampstead Theatre To 5 January 2008.
Mon-Sat 2pm & 6.30pm no performance 25, 31 Dec, 24 Dec 6.30pm or 4 Jan 2pm.
Runs 2hr 5min One interval.

TICKETS: 0207722 9301.
www.hampsteadtheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 22 December.

So bad it’s wicked.
Anthony Clark’s adaptation, with composer Conor Lineham, of Ian Whybrow’s story is an enjoyable addition to the stock of young people’s plays.

Lineham’s score isn’t full of magnificent melodies but it is crammed with incidental felicities. It might be a vocal phrase, figures in the instrumental accompaniment – or the interplay between the two. One number incorporates wolf howls with melodic and rhythmic cunning.

The songs contribute to the lithe pace of a story which reverses the values adults generally instil into their children, while exploring the experience of conformity. Wolves must learn to be bad, whether they want to or not.

In their world, where dog metaphorically eats dog, Little Wolf finds himself inclined to be kind. His supposedly threatening howl is a mere yelp. So he’s packed off to Uncle Bigbad’s academy to learn the nine rules of beastliness. His unwillingness to leave, his excuses for staying put and promising to become bad at home, parallel any child facing something new and daunting. And mother Grizzle packs his food (plus plenty of almost seasonal-sounding mice-pies to tickle uncle’s palate) with the fond sadness of any mother saying goodbye to their child for the first time.

After several adventures en route, there’s a Dickensian coldness at Uncle Bigbad’s, where every rule is lived out to its lying, cheating full by this lupine Squeers, whom Grant Stimpson gives a snarling surliness. It contrasts Ilan Goodman’s eager and developing intelligence as he works out the rules he’ll never bring himself to use.

Liz Cooke’s skeletal design with its hill and slopes helps matters proceed quickly, evoking locations for the story. Christopher Staines is expert in a number of roles, including a Scoutmaster who finds nothing to fear in Little Wolf, soon created an honorary, as well as actual, cub.

And Darrell Brockis is equally expert in several roles, including the Woodcutter who saves a version of Red Riding-Hood (the most put-upon of folk-tale characters in these feminist days). With actors singing and doubling on a range of instruments, this show ought to be smoked out of its lair again in future years.

Yeller/Mister Twister/Woodcutter: Darrell Brockis.
Little Wolf: Ilan Goodman.
Grizzle/Red Goodie-Hoodie/Little Mouse: Ann Marcuson.
Musician: Marc Parnell.
Smellybreff/Stoat/Scoutmaster: Christopher Staines.
Gripper/Uncle Bigbad: Grant Stimpson.
Cub Scouts: Sacha Buckley, Crispin Clark, Alex Cook, Chloe Evans, Julien Karim-Jallane, Tilly O’Brien, Erica Seal, Sara Tabar, Ella Wilks-Harper, Kinnan Zaloom.

Director: Anthony Clark.
Designer: Liz Cooke.
Lighting: Bruno Poet.
Sound: Gregory Clarke.
Musical Director: Duncan Wisbey.
Choreographer: Matthew Bugg.
Assistant director: Melisande Cook.

2007-12-24 20:08:32