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| Edinburgh : A&E : Theatre : Reviews |
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Theatre listings > The Twits. Adaptor for the stage - David Wood. Written by Roald Dahl. Co-Directors - Rita Henderson & Stephen Wrentmore. Designer - Karen Tennant. Lighting Designer - Simon Wilkinson. Composer / Musical Director / Soundscape - Alan Penman. Co-Choreographer - Jemma King. Company - The Byre Theatre Company Company Website. Cast - here . Venue - The Byre Theatre, Abbey Street or down lane from South Street. Website Box Office - 01334 475000. Dates - 14 July - 5 August 06 Mons - Sat at 7.45pm, also Sat & Wed Mats at 2.30pm. Reviewer - Ellen Woodrow. Fun-filled, brightly coloured fanfare. This fun-filled, brightly coloured fanfare of a performance is a joyous way to spend an evening. We are greeted by the wonderful set, as topsy-turvy as the home of The Twits should be. During the show, this proves to be incredibly versatile - we're taken on a trip to the Mugglewumps' deepest darkest Africa and back to the Twits' backyard without so much as a moment's hesitation. The eccentric narrator, Garry Lake, enjoys anything but the traditional narrator's role. He sets the tone for the evening perfectly, and introduces our cast with flourish. It's an engaging format, especially for a children's show - all the characters cemented in the mind right from the start, before the story got too underway. The energy of this production just never drops, and the movement of all the performers is brilliant. From the Mugglewumps' dance routines, to the Twits' comedy fist fights and Roly-Poly Bird's wonderful scooting about and booty-shaking, the timing with movement, music and lighting is spot on throughout. I loved Jimmy Johnston as Mr Twit, and his wee asides to the audience - telling us to stop laughing and the like. It's really nice, too, that the actors remain in character perfectly all the way through, even to the curtain call, which was none of your standard take-a-bow affair, but further ntertainment in its own right. This is definitely a children's show, make no mistake, but what a children's show it is. One unquestioningly enjoyed by my adult companion and me. There's the prerequisite call and answer, booing and hissing, and even a rap to learn, but it's all the best possible in good kids' entertainment. The introduction of a select few favourite pop tunes only adds to the good times - bringing a much loved story from many of our own childhoods right slap bang into the twenty-first century. And boy, do the kids love them! Most of all, this production looks fun, fun, fun! The set looks fun to design, the costumes to be the result of a costume department enjoying a free reign (love those sequinned baseball boots, Roly-Poly Bird!). While the dances look fun to do (if a little hot under all those lights!) and the cast just seem to enjoy performing the piece. The good feeling exuded is taken on whole-heartedly by the audience; a thoroughly enjoyable evening. One word of warning, though, wear nice shoes . . ©Ellen Woodrow 15 July 2006 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Cast - Mrs Twit - Angela Darcy, Mr Twit - Jimmy Johnston, Roly-Poly Bird - Claire Dargo, Narrator - Garry Lake, Mr Mugglewump - Philip Scutt, Mrs Mugglewump - Fiona Steele. Youth cast - George Cronin, Freya Dow, Lily Hua, Morven Paterson, Rebekka Pope, Meghan Small, Reece Steel and Isla Winchester. Theatre Editor, Thelma Good's e-mail is thelma@edinburghguide.com Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. |
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