THE BORROWERS: adapt Way, story Norton: tours till 1 June

THE BORROWERS: adapt Charles Way from Mary Norton
Watershed Prods on Tour till Sat 1 June, details www.watershed.uk.com
Runs: 2h 25m, one interval
Review: 17 April, Malvern Theatres, Rod Dungate

A mature theatre event for our youngest theatre goers: an intriguing and emotional journey to which they play close attention and concentration.
It's quite a challenge for the young audience – no songs, no frills, no extraneous distractions. It's a caring, non-patronising adaptation and, at two and a half hours, quite long (but not too long). In fact, it's a mature theatre event for our youngest theatre goers. More power to everyone's elbow!

Charles Way has a long association with Children's Theatre and Drama, so he should know what he's doing. Director Chris Wallis also has the confidence to trust his material and have faith in the audience: he enables the children to go on an intriguing and emotional journey. The children's close attention and concentration is proved every time a scene fades to black: the theatre bursts into excited chatter that fades away the second the lights start to come back up.

The Borrowers (in case you don't know) is about a group of tiny people (the Borrowers) who live under the floorboards: they survive by 'borrowing' from human beings. Our family (The Clocks) are forced to leave the comfort of their warm home to seek a new life in the wider world fraught with dangers.

If we see the story through the eyes of brave 14 year old Borrower, Arrietty, we see it is a play about the need to expand horizons – to accept and face up to new challenges. Much for the young audience to think about.

Denise Hoey's Arrietty is a seriously bright spark - inquisitive, go-getting and full of energy and wonder. Hoey has the knack of being childlike without being horribly childish. Nicholas Collett, Pod, Arrietty's father, also helps drive the show with his energy and creates a nice sense of danger in his angry moments. William Gregory adds some fine vocal and physical touches as the 'wild' Borrower, Spiller – particularly when copy-catting other Borrowers' reactions – the children love it.

In the scenes in which Borrowers interact with humans, the Borrower actors are replaced by beautiful (and beautifully operated) puppets from Treasure Trove puppets.

Cast:
Arrietty: Denise Hoey
Pod: Nicholas Collett
Homily: Susan Jeffrey (Joanna Kenrick when this reviewer saw it)
The Boy: Phillip Cotterill
Mrs Driver: Susannah Bray
Spiller: William Gregory

Director: Chris Wallis
Original Music: Richard Taylor
Design: Judith Croft
Lighting: Tracey Hammill
Puppet Director: Stephen Sharples
Sound: Paul Gregory

The tour is still to visit:
Malvern, Festival: Belfast, Grand Opera: Durham, New Gala: Llandudno, North Wales: Norwich, Theatre Royal: Southsea, King's: Derry, Millennium Forum

2002-04-18 14:09:40