THE SELFISH GIANT. To 21 February.
London
THE SELFISH GIANT
by Oscar Wilde adapted by Annie Wood
Polka Adventure Theatre To 21 February 2004
Tue-Sat 10.45am,2.15pm + 12.30pm Sat
Runs 55min No interval
TICKETS: 020 8543 4888
www.polkatheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 31 December
Audience-friendly and audience-respecting: a fine piece for 3-5s.Annie Wood's Selfish Giant has been seen elsewhere; in the small Adventure Theatre here there's less set and closer contact with the audience than when I saw it in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
It remains gently visual; the heavy scent of Victorian morality's been lifted from the tale: the seasonal round predominates with only oblique references to the Giant's death. The action begins in the Foyer as Carol Walton's friendly Spring engages the young (3+) audience in helping her sow seeds though distributing seed-bags then asking for them back gives the children a somewhat redundant participation in story terms.
Inside the Giant's garden there's fun with flowers, a talking glove-puppet Worm and brief visits from puppet-head Summer and Autumn (helpfully voiced by cast-members from Polka's upstairs cast), who see there's nothing here for them. The Giant's selfishness it's all mine is his attitude leading him to torment Worm with the offer of food that's withdrawn, denies the regular seasonal pattern.
This has emotional, if not rational, logic (are people less selfish when the weather's warmer?) which makes sense to the young audience. They take part as flowers, which the Giant loves, but will not share. They're also boys and girls he shoos from his land though, despite a tall hat to outdo Isambard Brunel, Ross Mullen maintains an admirable gentleness of manner: a Selfish Giant, not an ogre.
Walton's kind-mannered Spring mediates between audience and Giant, also keeping fear at bay. She encourages the children (adults sensibly banished to the back) to move back at the Giant's rebuke, then come forward when he changes. Worm, burrowing to Bermuda but only making his way across the garden (his head pokes in from the door) is glad to be reconciled to the big, newly-friendly giant in the harmonious end.
A few audience members looking as if they were reaching for double-figure age were somewhat self-conscious at the participation; advertised for 3+, the upper age of 5 (which some Polka publicity mentions) would be helpful - as the 5-year old minimum is for upstairs shows. That apart, this is a colourful, story-led piece adapting Wilde's tale to the modern age.
The Giant: Ross Mullen
Spring: Carol Walton
Worm/Voice of Autumn: Joanna Holden
Voice of Summer: Stuart Cairns
Director: Annie Wood
Designer: Imogen Cloet
Lighting: Neil Pamment
Music: Jim Kitson
Music arranger: Julian Butler
Shadow Puppets: Zannie Fraser
Boy puppet: Shona Reppe
2004-01-02 09:28:19