STARRY STARRY NIGHT by Michael Dalton. Pop-Up Theatre to 2 February.

Tour

STARRY STARRY NIGHT
by Michael Dalton

Pop-Up Theatre on tour to 2 February 2002
Runs 55min No interval

Review Timothy Ramsden 5 January at Courtyard Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse

A dream of a piece, exploring childhood temper and fears in a wintry surround.There's always one, and it's only a moment into Pop-Up's new piece for under-8s before we know who it is – the scene-stealing, upstaging show-off of the trio.

And it's only a few moments more before she's metamorphosed into Millie, using every tactic of childhood terrorism against adults to keep Mother at home for the evening. But mum's still young and attractive; she's determined to have an evening out as belle of her own ball. Millie tries every trick: mum's dresses make her look too fat, too old. She'll be sad left alone with Jaz to look after her. Will mum at least stay for one story about Lucky, the loved comfort doll whose adventures end with his owner of the moment losing him?

But it's after mum's gone and Millie's tucked warmly under a duvet in her favourite armchair that the imaginative journey starts. The fears and frustrations behind her behaviour are worked out with giant figures of her favourite toys, developing into a search for the once-again lost Lucky. There are riddles, a magician and a lucky star. Determined in her search, Millie ends up diving into the Wizard's pot: 'Here, get out of my cauldron,' he memorably admonishes her, adding threats about Health and Safety.

Rightly so; the cauldron's magic mix reduces big-talking Millie to the diminutive figure she feels herself inside, the size of Alice at her lowest, tucked up under a giant Lucky's belt. And that brings out the deepest fear, that mummy does not love her any more.

It takes time to shake off a vivid dream or nightmare, so it's several moments before Millie realises she's woken up full-size under the duvet with Mother smiling at her. And Lucky is found.

Michael Dalton's production has the usual inventive Pop-Up staging, aided by Bouge-de-la's versatile and star-cold set. The three performers give physically acute performances. Pop-Up continues to be among the very best young people's theatre companies in Britain.

Public performances daytimes at:
January - Cranleigh Arts Centre 12, Clocktower Croydon 13, The Hawth Crawley 19, Komedia Brighton 20, Windsor Arts Centre 22, The Castle Wellingborough 23, Town Hall Bishop Auckland 24, Citadel Arts Centre Liverpool 26, Royton Assembly Hall Oldham 27, Parr Hall Warrington 28, Aberystwyth Arts Centre 29, Taliesin Arts Centre Swansea 30, Pegasus Theatre Oxford 31.
February – BAC, Battersea, London 2.

Jaz: David Gyasi
Mother: Tanya Hossick
Millie: Sarah O' Keefe

Director: Michael Dalton
Designer: Bouge-de-la
Costume: Conchita-Maria Scott
Music: Ransom Notes

2002-01-09 09:07:35