SINDBAD: THE UNTOLD TALE! To 13 January.

Keswick

SINDBAD THE UNTOLD TALE

by Charles Way

Theatre By The Lake To 13 January 2007
Mon-Sat Various dates 10am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 7pm No performance 25 Dec, 1 Jan
Runs 2hr 25min One interval

TICKETS: 017687 74411
www.theatrebythelake.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 2 December

More Sindbad – and more Sindbads.
There are 2 Sindbads here. The famous voyager is now old. His daughter’s inherited the adventure-gene and sits around frustrated at having to listen to dad retell his well-worn adventures again.

Not that the second Sindbad’s arrival cheers her up. Yet, did she know it, he has the qualities of her father when young. But his arrival starts-up a rivalry of the sexes, with high-class scorn added on her part against the porter who delivers an adventure-bringing trunk to the door.

Young Sindbad’s already shown great resourcefulness, fooling 3 gangs of town brigands with inventions that come back to him in nightmare form at his low ebb. Soon he’s off on another adventure, which is as much about treachery and fidelity as it is about a quest. Young Ms Sindbad pops up alongside him and their relation, with its initial sense of rivalry, complicates events.

There are 2 fine things about this production. The first is Charles Way’s script, which demands attention as a drama, having none of the overt panto-style interjections most writers accommodate in their seasonal shows. This is all gain, making theatre that seeks involvement rather than building itself round expected theatrical rituals. Unlike his best work, though, there is a tendency for themes to be articulated between parts of the action, rather than arise immediately out of events. It creates a stop/go feel and doesn’t have, in full, the thrilling integration of action and idea that gives audiences the sense of discovering things for themselves.

Ian Forrest’s production also gives centre-stage to an ethnically-diverse cast. They include Edward Dede’s lively, inventive young Sindbad and contrasting genies: Gary Stoner comic and sinister as the strong silent type, Declan Wilson bringing a physical comic naivety to an energetic spirit long-constricted in a bottle.

Designer Ian Johns and lighting designer Nick Beadle ensure the production is always richly rewarding to watch, while Forrest navigates an adventure plot skilfully within the Theatre By The Lake’s technical facilities. Sometimes the action could be more freewheeling to its benefit, but this is a new Christmas show that has a lot to offer.

Jan Shah: Suzanne Ahmet
Ittifaq: Krissi Bohn
Sindbad the Porter: Edward Dede
Sindbad the Voyager: Leroy Liburd
Silent Genie: Gary Stoner
Green Genie: Declan Wilson

Director: Ian Forrest
Designer: Martin Johns
Lighting: Nick Beadle
Music: Malcolm Newton
Movement: Lorelei Lynn
Fight director: Kate Waters

2006-12-19 10:29:59