Review: Holes (Nottingham Playhouse)

Stories of friendship and loyalty are a staple of children's literature and Louis Sachar's novel is no different. It's a piece which translates well onto a stage, told through the eyes of a misunderstood child, and delivers that ever important message of comradeship.

It begins with a strange concept; Stanley Yelnats (that's Stanley spelt backwards) quite literally has a pair of trainers fall right in front of him, conclusions are jumped to and it is decided that Stanley stole these shoes and should be punished for it. He is sent off to Camp Green Lake, a sort of youth rehabilitation centre in the middle of the desert, to dig holes. Stanley believes that this is yet another punishment in a long line of them that has been bestowed upon him because of his grandfather's wrongdoings. The theme of Stanley's crimeless personality runs throughout and is food for thought for the audience; the actions we take always have consequences, something Stanley struggles to comprehend.

Digging holes in a desert doesn't sound like the most thrilling story (and actually sounds a little peculiar) but it works and it works well. After being transported to the Texan desert, friendships and rivalries strike up between Stanley (played by Chris Ashby) and his campmates but a particular friendship between Stanley and Zero is a narrative that could have been concentrated on and explored a little more, allowing a little more emotional depth to the characters.

Kacey Ainsworth brings some authority to the camp as The Warden (among a host of other characters she plays), adding the token baddie baton to the story. Her arrival brings with it some questions – just exactly why is the assignment to dig holes and why specifically in the location they've been given? It doesn't take long to work out that The Warden has an ulterior motive and doesn't run the camp as a rehabilitation centre, she uses it as cheap labour for her own advantage.

The multi layered plot is intertwined well and Adam Penford's direction is quick and sharp, the pace is helped along with the occasional desert animal puppet and science experiment gone wrong. The addition of school science-like fire and chemical experiments is a magical touch. The simplistic, yet useful, set design creates a true, open feeling of being stranded in the hot desert.

A couple of questionable American accents aside, Holes is a pleasant tale which is well presented and is sure to keep family audiences engaged and educated.