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Theatre listings > The Wolves In The Walls - World Premiere. Dramatised from and inspired by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's book of the same name. Concieved and made for the stage by Vicky Featherstone (NTS), Julian Crouch (Improbable) and Nick Powell. Co-director - Vicky Featherstone. Co-director/Designer/Animator - Julian Crouch. Original Music and Sound - Nick Powell. Additional Lyrics - Neil Gaiman. Lighting Designer - Natasha Chivers. Composer - Steve Kettley. Choreographer - Steven Hoggett. Arrangements - Martin Lowe and Nick Powell. Co Production by - National Theatre of Scotland Company Website and Improbable (England). Cast - here . Tour Dates - 22 March - 20 May 2006. Full details here. (it will tour again across UK in Autumn 2006 and internationally in Spring 2007). Run Time - 1 hour including 30 mins no Interval. Reviewer - Thelma Good. Draws you very willingly in. It's wonderful this, from the beginningNeil Gaiman's story and Dave McKean's illustrations don't just come to life but pop up into a many dimensional exciting theatre. When wolves finally appear it's terrific and good-scary in a production that draws you very willingly in. Frances Thornburn's Lucy's world where her tuba playing Dad, Iain Johnstone, her jam making Mum, Cora Bissett, and her electronic gaming Brother, Ryan Fletcher, pay little attention to her insistence that there are wolves in the walls of their house. All three tell her if the wolves come out, "it's all over." But she and her pink pig puppet refuse to agree. There are lots of songs and the best air guitar moments ever, a tuba player who gets very well deserved applause with many other incidents to treasure. Composer Nick Powell has the characters singing as if it were the most natural thing in the world while Gaiman's extra lyrics fill out the story. When Lucy determines it isn't the end and she's going get back into the house you almost feel sorry for the wolves who are weird somewhat misshapen hessian fellows not adverse to a spot of hoovering. Fans of Improbable's and Julian Crouch's magical life-enhancing theatre are going to find a massive recharge to their batteries here. People who never encountered them before are going to find their experience of theatre and story telling transformed. Co-director Vicky Featherstone, whose idea the production is, shows she knows how to mix creative strengths and talents. This is a rich, rich production, the only flaw in the whole production is that in theatre there's no replay button! So grab yourself a ticket and some kids from 7 to 97 if it's coming you way this Spring. If not look out for it in the UK in Autumn 2006 and internationally in Spring 2007. When NTS was set up this is the superb quality I dreamed they could give us. It's not often you see your dreams come true. ©Thelma Good 29 March 2006 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Cast - Dad - Iain Johnstone, Mum - Cora Bissett, Lucy - Frances Thorburn, Brother - Ryan Fletcher and Wolves - Cait Davis, Ewan Hunter, Jessica Tomchack and Jason Webb. Musicians - Musical Director/Keyboards - Martin Lowe, Keyboards - Robert Melling, Percussion - Ric Chandler and Woodwind - Brian Molley. Spring 2006 Tour Dates (it will tour again across UK in Autumn 2006 and internationally in Spring 2007) - Tour begins 23 March - 8 April at 7:30pm Tues - Sat also at 1pm on 25 March, 1, 4, 6 & 8 April Glasgow Tramway 0845 330 3501. 10 - 29 April at 7:30pm not 16- 17, 23 April mats 13, 22 & 29 at 2:30pm & at 4pm on 15 and 1:30pm at 26 April London Lyric Hammersmith 08700 500 511. 2 - 6 May at 7:45pm also 2:30pm on Sat Perth Theatre 0845 612 6322. 9 - 10 May at 7pm also mat at 1:30pm on 10 May Stirling macRobert 01786 466 666. 12 & 13 May at 7:30pm also Sat mat at 2:30pm Kirkcaldy Adam Smith Theatre 01592 412929. 18 - 20 May at 7:30pm also Sat mat at 2:30pm Ayr Gaiety Theatre 01292 611 222. Tour ends. 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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