Romanzo
d'infanzia (A Childhood Tale)
seen
as part of the Bank of Scotland Children's
International Theatre Festival UK Premiere
Company - Quintavalla-Stori-Compagnia Abbondanza/Bertoni from
Italy
Directors - Letizia Quintavalla and Bruno Stori
Venue - Traverse One Edinburgh
Date - Public performances 28 May at 7pm and 2 June at 12pm
Tickets - From Traverse Box office 228 1404
Running time - 55 mins approx performed in English for 6 -10
yrs
Reviewer -Kenny Morrison
The appeal this has to the child in me makes this such an excellent
piece of theatre.
Based on dreams and reality, flitting between the two, the two actor-dancers
Michele Abbondanza and Veroria Mells, play both the parents and their
two children Tomaso and Nina. There is a simple set, a blue painted
circle on the floor with a small translucent rock pile at its center,
perfect both in the children's bedroom and in their dream travels. Excellent
lighting adds to the atmosphere throughout, particularily used very
poignantly in the parents' scences - brightly and harshly spotlighting
the figures of authority.
The movement of the two actor-dancers is captivating. They work beautifully
together producing an impression of complete continuity in an energtic
peice. Tomso and Nina live their lives entirely together - what they
do together alone is for them more important than anything else.
Some British parents may be unsettled by the production's highly theatrical
portrayal of physical chastisement of children but the children in the
audience were sometimes delighted, clearly captivated and intrigued
throughout. It's an inspired production dealing with a very difficult
topic with imagination and highly skilled performances. Revealing what
we often forget, that children have insight and preception although
they are young, by seeing their world from their eyes.
© Kenny Morrison 28 May 2001
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