James and the Giant Peach (tour – Chelmsford, Civic Theatre)
I think there’s
something of the anarchist in all children, which is probably why the
topsy-turvydom and snapping bite of those masters of mayhem Lewis
Carroll and Roald Dahl keep their appeal. Children have a
marvellous ability to accept instantly what their elders may strain
at – in the case of the current Birmingham Stage Company touring
production of Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach
that includes rod puppetry, UV-light black theatre, a young male
adult in a boy’s short trousers and the death of parents in a road
accident.
David Wood, who provides some snappy and witty lines for the lyrics
to Grant Olding‘s equally catchy tunes. Director Nicolai Foster
keeps the action fast moving, helped by Colin Richmond‘s
intriguingly flexible set, some effective lighting by James
Whiteside and fun choreography from Drew McOnie. The eight-strong
cast all play a variety of musical instruments, and do it well, as our
likeable young hero James (Tom Gillies) wins the audience’s
sympathy for his orphaned state and non-upbringing by the nastiest
pair of uglies you’re likely to encounter this side of next
Christmas’ rash of Cinderella.
Claire Greenway is
the food-obsessed Aunt Sponge and the much more pleasant and helpful
Ladybird. Aunt Spiker, that would-be fashion-plate, is played by
Sioned Saunders who also takes on the thread-spinning Spider.
James’ other allies are Iwan Tudor as the Grasshopper, Rhys
Saunders as the most lugubrious of Earthworms and Chris Lindon as
the Centipede (by the end of the show we all definitely know that
this arthropod may be multi-footed, but there aren’t 100 of them.
