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| Edinburgh : A&E : Theatre: Reviews |
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Theatre listings > The Ballad of Marian
and Rob. - Scottish Premiere. Gruppe 38 strongly believe that theatre is for everybody, and judging from their new show The Ballad of Marian and Rob, they very much practice as they preach. Out of a simple story about one girl's crush on a young outlaw who lives alone in the woods, they weave a magical tale of true love, tolerance, the sense of right and wrong, and the fact that very often the grown-ups simply do not know everything. Bearing more than one similarity to the legend of Robin Hood, The Ballad of Marian and Rob amazes and entertains audiences with the virtuosity of its storytelling and performance. Gruppe 38's production is wonderfully inventive and funny, and it unravels without a glitch. The simplicity of props and sounds (created by performers' voices and live music onstage by always excellent Soren Sodnberg), and a clever script, never cease to play upon one's imagination. The chairs become a classroom, a hill, a ladder, or a bathroom wall, the performers' tail suits become the birds' feathers, coins appear and disappear as if in a conjuror's trick, and all of it happens before one's very eyes, in a flash. One only has to glance across the auditorium to view the smiling wide-eyed faces of children, and their parents, to realise that something very special has been offered in the intimate space of Traverse Two. After all, this is the company that brought us the unforgettable performances of Hansel and Gretel and The Little Matchgirl. Always in search of new forms, Gruppe 38 constantly reinvent themselves, and they never fail to pleasantly surprise their audiences. All of the elements of the production, from voice and movement (especially inspired interpretation of Marian by Bodil Alling) to music and lighting, come together effortlessly, and the story flows with such perfect timing, that one can easily see why the company's work is so popular at home and abroad. Gruppe 38 features with two productions at this year's Children's International
Theatre Festival - The Ballad of Marian and Rob and A Sonatina. Don't
miss them. Theatre
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