THE BOY, THE BABY... Bristol New Vic to 12 January.
Bristol
THE BOY, THE BABY AND LOADS OF SILLY NOISES (BUT NO LOUD BANGS…)
by Toby Hulse
Bristol New Vic To 12 January 2002
Runs 1hr 30min One interval
TICKETS 0117 987 7877
Review Timothy Ramsden 15 December
Colourful entertainment for up to 6s that lives up to its titular promises.Last year Toby Hulse wrote a play for the very young about a boy whose toybox produced several furry animals come to life. It was long for this age group, even allowing for the interval. Yet, for the first act and a half it seemed to hold their attention. It was lively, colourful and very funny. The play was called No Loud Bangs (But Loads of Silly Noises) and as I watched the title's promise was compromised during the second act by an alarming, if not exactly loud, sound.
It was the fire alarm and seemed to bring half the Bristol fire brigade. There was no fire, which was fortunate, though during the hour we spent freezing in King Street before discovering the performance would not be resumed, some heating wouldn't have come amiss.
So in a sense this new slice of Hulse, in the same style and with the same characters, is the continuation from that day in December 2000. As so often, it's difficult to take up where you left off. This second play is as skilfully aimed at its audience as its predecessor. It's well-acted and directed. Vic Llewellyn is a delightfully slow-witted Clown, Chris Bianchi a seriously thoughtful Giraffe. Jennifer Tubini's Peggy and Kit Morgan's strumming Rabbit contribute well and all centre neatly in the author's own playing of very young Jake.
Somehow, though, the laughs aren't there. It's all very pleasant, but lacks the hilarity of the first show. Maybe it's that the plot motor, which leads to a search through the various rooms in the house, is constricting. Maybe it's to do with the thematic idea of a young child being disturbed by the loss of mother's attention when a new child arrives, restricting the comic flight with the sense of its own importance. Maybe the situation just doesn't have enough in it for two very funny plays. Maybe it's simply the curse of the sequel.
Whatever, we're left with an enjoyable enough show. But I just wish that alarm had not gone off last year, when I was really having fun.
Jake: Toby Hulse
Clown: Vic Llewellyn
Giraffe: Chris Bianchi
Peggy: Jennifer Tubini
Rabbit/Guitar: Kit Morgan
Director: Heather Williams
Designer: Katie Sykes
Lighting: Lolly Laybourne
Sound: Jason Barnes
Music: John O' Hara
2002-01-07 00:03:02