VIDEK'S SHIRT To 11 April.

London.,

VIDEK’S SHIRT

Little Angel Theatre 1 April 2009.
10am, 11.30am (2-5s); 1.30pm (5/7s).
Runs 45min No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7226 1787.
www.littleangeltheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 9 April.

Finely woven story for various ages.
Two Balkans and a Brit have created a magical piece of theatre – not an adjective I often use. They have done this using simple means, the essential skills of storytelling and the imitative power of fine puppetry, in a performance that takes a genuine interest in the young audience who sit around them, and who play a highly interactive role in the remaking of young Videk’s shirt.

Videk’s Shirt exists in two versions. I saw the one for 2-5s (an alternative for 5-7s, running a few minutes longer, introduces Videk’s mother and, through her suggests their social and financial position). Taken from a story by 19th-century Slovenian writer and radical Fran Levstik, it simply shows young Videk in his patched hand-me-down shirt. Then out of it, when a gust blows the worn old garment away.

There follows, simply, the making of a new shirt, from shearing a sheep to sewing and shaping the woven wool. But, how’s it done without shops, machines and shirtmakers to hand? At each stage, the problem’s set and solutions found through helpful creatures that happen along - a woolly lamb, web-weaving spiders and material-snipping crab among them. All are created from natural materials – the lamb formed from a sock takes on a sense of reality while munching the grass fed it by audience members.

And, of course, there’s a song to be sung and actions to be enacted – washing, spider-crawling - plus sounds of wind and water to be made. It all flows smoothly, encouraged by the storytellers, accompanied by musician Janco Calic and some audience members provided with percussion.

The Puppetellers have gauged this just right, certainly for 2-5s, and I suspect in the varied form for the older children too. Impressively they learn – and remember – youngsters’ names, so they can ask them questions directly. And any answer offered from the audience, factually right or not, is treated with respect and interest.

Both educationally aware and happily entertaining, without a shred of adult condescension, Puppetellers have a style of their own. No wonder the Little Angel, where they first performed last summer, invited them back.

Cast/Devisors: Janko Calic, Leonie Dodd, Tinka Slavicek.

Puppetellers work in schools, nurseries, arts centres and at private parties. Videk’s Shirt remains bookable. Details at: www.puppetellers.co.uk.

2009-04-11 01:58:39