|
|
|
| |
|
|
| Edinburgh : A&E : Theatre: Reviews |
|
Theatre listings > The Flying Babies
- Part of The Puppet Anination Festival 2002
The renowned Czech ensemble DRAK Theatre’s contribution to this year’s Puppet Animation Festival is a compelling visual piece about three small children who embark on a challenging search of their lost balloon which will take them far from home, to the Planet of Lost Balloons.
Jakub Krofta’s ingenious direction completely matches Redy Vávra’s, Zuzana Vojtišková’s and Milan Žd’árský’s delightful and funny performances. Without any doubt that there is great beauty in simplicity of presentation as the actors skilfully apply few props to recount their story amidst the minimal but visually striking set by Marek Zákostelecký. As soon as the audience warms up to conventional play about three children in search of a balloon, it turns into an allegory of growth - physical, spiritual and intellectual - of humankind in search of answers to who we are in relation to our world. Are we all like small children living in a big world searching for our wondrous red balloons? Do we eternally strive to understand and rediscover the mystery of the universe that surrounds us? Is this all there is, all that really matters?
Playing with a simple theme on a number of levels, the performers set out to explore different ways of communicating and listening to each other. The performers’ communication amongst themselves and with their audience (watch for that balloon coming your way), the puppeteers’ dialogue with puppets (some wonderful shadow puppet effects, such as babies flying through the air, or a dove), the dialogue of sound and light - all this is being explored in a subtle manner in The Flying Babies, where stunning visual effects are being created by the use of movement, sound and lighting (wonderfully understated and magical, by Milan Steklik).
Nothing less is expected from the ensemble who have entertained and caught imagination of their audiences for the past twenty-five years. DRAK Theatre’s productions are aimed at the widest age category. In their mission statement, they suggest that their shows are for the kindergarten children and for the grandfathers and grandmothers alike. Most recently, they developed performances for the whole families, The Flying Babies being a good example. They play 270-300 shows a year, in Hradec Králové (their headquarters) and in other Czech towns. They have also toured in the USA (New York, Washington), Japan (Osaka), Australia (Adelaide), Russia (Moscow), Canada (Montreal), and in most European states.
The Flying Babies is a riveting experience for children and adults alike. Other Drak Events in Scotland During their visit to Scotland, DRAK Theatre will hold the following workshops:
Puppetry and Object Manipulation in Performance (age 14+), Monday 8 April 1.30pm and 6pm, at Glenrothes College, Stenton Road, Fife, 01383 314118 (£5); Tuesday 9 April 10am, at Buckhaven Community Centre, Kinnear Street, Fife, 01592 414533 (£2)
Techniques of Puppetry Making (age 14+), Monday 8 April 10am, at Glenrothes
College, Stenton Road, Fife, 01383 314118 (£5); Tuesday 9 April
1.30pm, at Buckhaven Community Centre, Kinnear Street, Fife, 01592 414533
(£2) Theatre listings >>
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|||