THE WATER BABIES. To 31 August.
Chichester
THE WATER BABIES
by Gary Yershon and Jason Carr based on Charles Kingsley
Festival Theatre In rep to 31 August 2003
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Wed, Thu & Sat 2pm, Sun 4pm
Runs 2hr 10min One interval
TICKETS: 01243 781312
www.cft.org.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 19 July
Well-paced storytelling and witty staging are the strengths of this new family musical.Admirable of Chichester to programme a family musical, accessible to young people, as one of its major productions. But are young people as the 21st century opens best served by Victorian Sunday School morality dressed-up in the candyfloss clothes of West End musical style? Of course, an established title helps sell tickets to adult relatives who wouldn't turn, or fork, out for a tale of death and moral absolutes under an unfamiliar banner. What, indeed, is in a name?
Gary Yershon speeds us skilfully through the Rev Kingsley's story of a chimney-sweeper's lad come to new life under the water. Though it doesn't explain Tom's fast-tracking through the wet-world of water babies all dead children, programmed to be helpful (very Victorian evangelical) - to an all-white Paradise Garden where forgiveness makes him as he estimates some kind of angel.
Jason Carr's lyrics are decent if not inspiring. While his tunes, and their harmonic dress, never step out into daylight beyond the shapes and structures of the sentimental style, they do well enough within it, including a perky intro for the H2O kids themselves. Perhaps these two manifestations of sickly-sweet sentiment 19th century churchiness and 20th century musical deserve each other.
What makes it work is Jeremy Sams' smart direction and the surprises of Robert Jones' set. Sams has the Babies wheeling in on microscooters, and plays the badman Grimes, sweep-master and thief, with full melodramatic villainy perfectly caught and controlled by Joe McGann with moustache, chimney-hat and inner malice. His water-world is indeed fluid, amusing and energetic, while Yershon's post-interval return to reality marks out the contrast between society as it is and heavenly alternatives.
Jones wraps up earthly life in covers, which swirl away to reveal watery translucent balloons and various levels for submarine life to cavort around. He's clearly had fun with Mrs Doasyouwouldetc dressed as a suburban matron at a christening in the heavenly finale, as, just before, with hell's kitchen and the vision of Grimes stuck in a chimney-pot.
All good fun. But does this and the RSC's ever-revived C.S. Lewis constitute post-modernism in children's theatre?
Tom: Neil McDermott
Grimes: Joe McGann
Irishwoman/Mrs Bedonebyasyoudid/Mrs Doasyouwouldbedoneby: Louise Gold
George/Freddie: Trevor Connor
Garth/Tim: Adam Tedder
Mary Jane/Poppy: Alicia Davies
Mrs Drew/Izzy/Mother Grimes: Nicola Sloane
Mrs Bland/Trout: Natasha Bain
Maurice/Lobster/Gilbert: Paul Leonard
Ellie: Katherine O' Shea
Miss Dennis/Yellow Eel/Camilla: Fiona Dunn
Snail/Cook: Christian Patterson
Caddis Lava: Steven Fawell
Frog/Gryff/Cook: Steve Elias
Otter: Sasha Oakley
Laura: Deborah Crowe
Johnny/Vicar: Kieran Hill
Daisy: Jo Nesbitt
Charlie: Benedict Quirke
Bertie/Cook: Joe Shovelton
Director: Jeremy Sams
Designer: Robert Jones
Lighting: Howard Harrison
Sound: Paul Arditti
Music Director: Caroline Humphris
Choreographer: Jonathan Lunn
Assistant director: Lucy Jameson
Assistant choreographer: Anita Griffin
2003-07-20 12:33:32