All Join In and Other Stories Published Monday 23 May 2011 at 10:26 by Susan Elkin
Based on four books by the illustrator Quentin Blake, this enjoyable, tuneful, imaginative show features lots of songs performed by five highly accomplished actor-musicians - most of whom are also puppeteers - and not much dialogue or narrative.
Thus we get Charlie Folorunsho as a colourful, rueful Mr Magnolia who has only one boot, and Gilbert Taylor and the extraordinarily versatile Mandy Travis as a pair of resistant young owls who have to be taught to hoot.
Other highlights include Travis as Mrs Armitage riding her gradually enhanced bicycle and the lovely folksy ensemble singing in the duck song. The Stomp-type sequence in the kitchen with pans and the ballet duet by a boot and a shoe are fun, too.
The musical instruments add a lot to this show. Charlotte Workman, a fine and very expressive actor, almost develops her cello into another character. Christopher Chamberlain is a fine fiddler and banjo player and the mercurial, boyish, lithe Taylor is good on trombone and banjo. Travis is a strong saxophonist and penny whistler and her unexpected spoon playing is a rhythmic tour de force.
When artwork is as instantly recognisable as Blake’s, it can’t be easy to translate it visually to the stage, but Laura McEwen’s designs make inspired use of Blake-style small flats and various items of stage business.
This is a most appealing piece of theatre for four to seven-year-olds, many of whom were joining in enthusiastically as encouraged by the cast - and the show’s title.
Production information By: Quentin Blake, adapted by Ben Glasstone (also music and additional lyrics), Jonathan Lloyd, Roman Stefanski (who also directs)
Management: Polka Theatre
Cast: Charlie Folorunsho, Gilbert Taylor, Charlotte Workman, Christopher Chamberlain, Mandy Travis
Based on four books by the illustrator Quentin Blake, this enjoyable, tuneful, imaginative show features lots of songs performed by five highly accomplished actor-musicians - most of whom are also puppeteers - and not much dialogue or narrative.
Thus we get Charlie Folorunsho as a colourful, rueful Mr Magnolia who has only one boot, and Gilbert Taylor and the extraordinarily versatile Mandy Travis as a pair of resistant young owls who have to be taught to hoot.
Other highlights include Travis as Mrs Armitage riding her gradually enhanced bicycle and the lovely folksy ensemble singing in the duck song. The Stomp-type sequence in the kitchen with pans and the ballet duet by a boot and a shoe are fun, too.
The musical instruments add a lot to this show. Charlotte Workman, a fine and very expressive actor, almost develops her cello into another character. Christopher Chamberlain is a fine fiddler and banjo player and the mercurial, boyish, lithe Taylor is good on trombone and banjo. Travis is a strong saxophonist and penny whistler and her unexpected spoon playing is a rhythmic tour de force.
When artwork is as instantly recognisable as Blake’s, it can’t be easy to translate it visually to the stage, but Laura McEwen’s designs make inspired use of Blake-style small flats and various items of stage business.
This is a most appealing piece of theatre for four to seven-year-olds, many of whom were joining in enthusiastically as encouraged by the cast - and the show’s title.
Production information By: Quentin Blake, adapted by Ben Glasstone (also music and additional lyrics), Jonathan Lloyd, Roman Stefanski (who also directs)
Management: Polka Theatre
Cast: Charlie Folorunsho, Gilbert Taylor, Charlotte Workman, Christopher Chamberlain, Mandy Travis
RSS Feed
