BFG

Note: The following review dates from February 2002 and an earlier tour stop of this production.

There’s trouble afoot in Engerland. Nasty giants have been guzzling up
unsuspecting human beans, but fear not, the BFG has hung his green cape up and he’s here to save the day.

This stage production is based on the best-selling children’s book by Roald Dahl and, on this current outing, marks 20 years since the book was first published. Adapted by David Wood, the story revolves around Sophie, a young orphan, who’s kidnapped by a giant. Lucky for her, he’s not your run-of-the-mill, bone-crunching, gizzard-gulping, child-eating giant – not at all, this is the Big Friendly Giant of the acronymised title. BFG introduces Sophie to his bizarre world of dream blowing, and together they decide to save British children from hungry giants.

Susie Caulcutt‘s set, unlike snozzcumbers, is not to be sniffed at. It’s a
child’s bedroom where anything can and does happen – evil giants dance
fiercely, the Queen has breakfast in bed and a wardrobe pulls forward to
reveal the BFG ‘s cave dwelling.

The production values here are excellent. The giants’ masks are clearly designed with
Quentin Blake‘s original drawings from the book in mind and are suitably
grotesque. Problems with perspective and size – how to convey the giants versus the puny human beans – is dealt with by using a dazzling myriad of puppets. And when the BFG unveils his dream cupboard filled with twinkling red and green jars, audible gasps arise from the young audience in the theatre stalls.

Anthony Pedley is larger than life as the BFG, all sweetness and
energy. Rebecca Rainsford‘s Sophie is watchable, too, though she’s required to control her puppet lookalike for the majority of the show – the actress effectively mimics and mirrors its movements, making her human presence less distracting and
helping to keep the focus on her alter ego when necessary. Peter Pontzen‘s
music, played on a ‘plinky plonky’ keyboard is extremely atmospheric and
works well in the first half.

By comparison to what comes before, the second half is much weaker. A badly timed interval (in respect to where it’s placed in the proceedings) means that, very early in the second act, there’s a big scene change to create the interior of the Queen’s palace –
this takes nearly five minutes and is extremely boring. The children in the audience seem to lose interest, and even live corgies and a full size BFG puppet fail
to regain their full attention.

That said, The BFG is a visual feast of a show, with lively performances and lots of giggles. A whizz popping good time.

– Hannah Khalil (reviewed at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London)