THE TWITS. To 14 January.
Bolton
THE TWITS
by Roald Dahl adapted by David Wood
Octagon Theatre To 14 January 2006
Mon-Sat 2.15pm & 7.15pm except 2 Jan 7.15pm only, 5; 10-12 Jan 10.15am & 2.15pm no performance 9 Jan
Runs 1hr 40min One interval
TICKETS: 01204 520661
www.octagonbolton.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 23 December
Energy, volume and dash mark out this show’s territory.
For subtlety, complexity and depth, don’t go to Roald Dahl. Certainly David Wood’s adaptation introduces no risk of such things. This is the raucous, runabout end of theatre for young people, styled in bold colours and outlines. In a shortish show there’s perhaps 15 minutes’ worth of rather obvious plot. Less of characterisation. What keeps young audiences involved is the cartoon simplification, revelling in the sheer horridness of the title Twits whose revolting personal manners and inability to live together on any basis other than playing practical jokes on each other runs alongside their nastiness to others.
The Twittish couple run a circus that exploits animal. Their latest acquisition, the Muggle-Wumps, are caged by the Twits in their free environment, making the horror of confinement vividly apparent. And when one of your Muggle-Wump actors is herself Black there’s an overtone of slavery and oppression which might, or not, suggest itself to young audiences.
That’s it for seriousness, really. As for story it’s little more than watching the Twits be revolting to each other in grotesque manner, before we help the Roly-Poly Bird (unfathomably named, given Ebony Feare’s lithe performance) foil attempts to capture a posse of birds and to set the Muggle-Wumps free.
Marcus Romer’s just the director for this. His Pilot Theatre has a highly physical style which he aptly transports into Twits territory. Apart from the action, there’s plenty of marshalling keen young audience forces, especially in verses warning the bird-troupe off various places the Twits have been gluing. Then there’s percussion concealed on the platform running behind the main-stage so the cast can hit us with their rhythm-sticks (Ian Dury’s called in for momentary support to Dahl).
From Feare’s free-flying Roly-Poly through the Muggle-Wumps, whose return from captivity to freedom (long before their dim captors realise they’ve been tricked) evinces happiness thanks to sympathetic performances by Naomi Cortes and Michael Lambourne, to the dim Twits given suitable lumpen performances by Nicky Goldie and Jesse Inman, all backed by Zoe Lambert’s energetic Narrator, if this is what you want then this is pretty certainly how you’ll want it.
Mrs Muggle-Wump: Naomi Cortes
Roly-Poly Bird: Ebony Feare
Mrs Twit: Nicky Goldie
Mr Twit: Jesse Inman
Narrator: Zoe Lambert
Mr Muggle-Wump: Michael Lambourne
Director: Marcus Romer
Designer: Ali Allen
Lighting: James Farncombe
Sound: Andy Smith
Composer/Musical Director: Ivan Stott
Puppet Maker: Naomi Parker
Assistant director: Catherine Paskell
2006-01-01 12:16:20