MARTHA. 24 November-11 January

Young People

MARTHA
by Gill Robertson, Jay Manley and Annie Wood

Catherine Wheels theatre company at MacRobert Centre Stirling to 27 October, then Leicester Haymarket Studio 24 November-11January 2003
Runs 55min No interval

TICKETS 01786 466666 (Stirling)
0116 253 9797(Leicester)
Review Timothy Ramsden 25 October

Highly recommended for up to 6s; a fine, funny visual piece which does not gloss over life's sadness.She's a miserable loner is Martha, stuck with her unwelcoming signage in an isolated beach-hut.Even her friendly postie finds it a trouble to obtain her singature for a letter. But that's about to change, in this colourful, amusing and touching new piece for the very young.

Martha could be descended from Oscar Wilde's Selfish Giant, who benefited from Annie Wood's similarly visual treatment over Christmasses just past at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Leicester.

Martha's making is Goose - a fascinating life-size puppet operated sympathetically by Rick Conte, between his deliveries in the day job. Conte shares Goose's moods, be it through his concerned facial expressions or full body dancing along to Goose's flights when the music on Martha's old tranny sets the bird swinging.

Not that the puppet - beak, head and body built round piping for manipulation - needs any help. Cheeky goose, rummaging around Martha's home, sad Goose suffering a chill after being shut out in the rain, or Goose faking death when housework's mentioned.

In short, Goose with the naive guile any child will recognise - which is where the fun lies. As Martha's face thaws into a smile, as she finally finds fun chasing her visitor - only to be crept up on to be - well, goosed - the piece builds a genuine sense of a relation building, recognisable to all ages, while it is, thanks to Pauline Knowles' keen performance and Conte's expressive partner, very funny.

So, the melancholy twinge - reflected in the deep-red setting sun - as Goose flies away for another year, leaving behind a friend with a renewed interest in the world around her, recognises that it's not laughs all the way in life, while showing how friendship helps people learn about themselves.

Martha: Pauline Knowles
Postie/Goose: Rick Conte

Director: Annie Wood
Designer: Karen Tenent
Lighting: Tracey Smith

2002-10-25 17:17:51