THE UGLY EAGLE, Bham Rep till 4 January

Birmingham

THE UGLY EAGLE
Birmingham Repertory Theatre with Moving Hands
Runs: 1h, no interval, till 4 January
Times: a mixture of 10.30, 2.30 and 6.30
Tkts: 0121 236 4455
Review: Rod Dungate, 13 December 2002

Delightful storytelling for a 21st Century world.This is the most delightful storytelling for younger youngsters. Larry the Duck lives with other ducks in a pond in the middle of Birmingham – but he's different. So he gets laughed at and left on his own. He meets Umhlwethu, an African eagle (fortunately for Larry Umhlwethu has been blown off course by a storm) who tells him a story about an ugly chick. The story is based on a Ghanaian parable Fly Eagle Fly. I trust I won't be spoiling anything if I tell you it seems to owe much to the story of the Ugly Duckling - but, then, perhaps, they're both part of each other. The message is the shared – we're all individuals, we're all special.

The whole is told in a mixture of direct narration, dance, some hugely witty puppetry and some clever projected animations (and, yes, you can see them – they really work.) The manner of the storytelling reflects the multicultural nature of the story, the company and the setting (ie Birmingham). How rich the mixture is and how fortunate we are to share in it.

Umhlwethu is beautifully danced by Sandile Mbili: he exudes a natural nobility exactly suited to the eagle he represents. Caroline McDowell has the responsibility for most of the puppetry. Three undoubted stars make their debuts here: Larry the Duckling putting his best foot forward (and frequently tripping over it), one hell of a mean chicken, Dynamite Lil (I'd hate to meet her in a chicken run on a dark night) and the baby eagle himself.

Should there be anyone in the world who doubts the magic of puppets, go and watch the eagle breaking out of its shell – then apologise for your doubting!

Alison Carney guides us through the story: an easygoing bridge between the play and us.

Storyteller: Alison Carney
Puppeteer: Caroline McDowell
Dancer: Sandile Mbili

Director: Steve Johnstone
Designer: Caroline McDowell
Lighting: Jonathan Tritton
Music: Crush Music
Assistant Director/ Puppetry: Victoria Cannell
Editor: Koeka Stander
Animation: Lourina Jansen van Rensburg

2002-12-13 20:52:59