Reader Reviews
Swallows and Amazons (Vaudeville Theatre, West End)
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 | An unfortunately dull show. Morris tries to capture kneehigh, but misses the charm, and Melly still, but misses her invention and dark wit. Performances are, however, good, but the music is lamentable and does nothing to make the show better. It is a very very worthy show and only gets watchable in the second half when it's not trying to take itself so seriously. In fact it is rather telling that the 'best bits' are an incredibly camp dream sequence and when the action starts to engage the audience rather than exclude them. I have no idea why people think it's good. It's rather like those children's books that kids hate but adults make them read because it's 'good' for them, but as a show. Would advise seeing THE CHILDREN AND ANIMALS TOOK TO THE STREET or getting the dvd of katie Mitchell's stage version of CAT IN THE HAT which have aims at a similarly aged audience. - Cassox | 11 Jan 12 |
| Six days in and we already have the first treat of 2012, back at the Vaudeville where Potted Panto, the last treat of 2011, was. This Bristol Old Vic production by Tom Morris is about as far as you can get from the big show values of Shrek & Matilda and the traditionality that is panto. The Walker children go off on their own by boat to an island in the lake to play. Here they fight the pirates of the Blackett sisters, who they eventually become real chums with. Even the adults, Walker mother and Blackett uncle are caught up in this imaginary world of play. Arthur Ransom’s early 20th century story is adapted well by Helen Edmundson and given a somewhat appropriate homespun production on a simple stage where the props are assembled from everyday objects (the parrot is a tri-colour feather duster and pliers!) and the sound effects created live on stage. There’s a charming score from Neil Hannon (aka The Divine Comedy) played by on-stage musicians doubling up as actors in what has now become a familiar style. The children are played by adults. It takes a while for your imagination to engage and your inner child to emerge, but by the end you really wish you could go back to that den in the bushes with your bestest friend and play. For it is imagination that is the essence of this show, and it completely captures what happens (well, used to happen) when children occupy themselves for hours on end in worlds they create in their heads. 32-year old actor Stewart Wright really is youngest brother Roger, those ribbons waving are a lake and the feather duster and pliers that talk really is a parrot. There is a beautiful sequence at the end where the audience join in with the ‘play’ to assist the boats on their journey. Richard Holt, Katie Moore, Akita Henry and Stewart Walker are terrific as the Walker children, with great chemistry between them. Celia Adams and Sophie Walker are lovely as the Blackett sisters. Seven other actors play all other roles, every instrument, sing and create the sound effects. They look like they’re having as much fun as you are and it’s all very infectious. It was the quietest family audience I’ve been in for some time, which might have something to do with their ages and backgrounds, but in my opinion has more to do with the fact that they, like me, were lost in this imaginary world, oblivious to all around them. I remember the moment when 1100 people gasped in the Olivier Theatre as a puppet horse was about to be shot, and you get the same feeling here - theatre really is magic. - Gareth James | 08 Jan 12 |
