Twits (tour)
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London's West End
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12 April 2001
The Twits remains one of Roald Dahl‘s most popular books. It was recently voted one of the country’s best reads by BBC television viewers. And, if any young literary fans are worried their favourite read has been tampered with, they needn’t fret too much. While David Wood‘s adaptation has inevitably been tweaked to fill two hours, it still
manages to capture the essence of the ghastly but utterly likeable Twit
couple.
Mr and Mrs Twit hate intrusions. They hate animals and they hate
children. Their house has no windows as they do not want ‘nosy parkers’
looking inside. The clever thing about Dahl’s timeless writing is that you
probably know a ‘Twit’ yourself! The gruesome two-some ensnare two monkeys,
Mr and Mrs Mugglewump, and set out to make their life hell. With help from
some local birds and some ‘smarmy goody goodies’ (the audience), the monkeys
outwit The Twits and send everyone home smiling.
Sight gags involving worms, frogs, spittle, yesterday’s dinner and wind-breaking aim to please both children and adults. But it’s not all in the
worst possible taste. The stage production, like the book, draws attention to
animal cruelty, abuse and trickery – three things the Twits enjoy
immensely! Somehow, though, we still love these characters, as we know that
they will get their ‘just deserts.’
Kathi Leahy‘s direction is somewhat uneven at times. While she adds
pace in the second half, many of the song and dance numbers
go on far too long, provoking fidgeting in some quarters. Still, children in the audience on the night I attended seemed to love the slapstick humour and the fact that they could openly participate in the narrative. Never before have I sat in a theatre with shoes on my hands pretending to be upside down. But this was in a good cause.
{Richard J Fletcher] and Wendy Reid revel in their roles as Mr and Mrs
Twit, relishing the audience’s spirited boos as much as their delighted applause. Overall, this is a likeable if undemanding production. It will please your kids and leave you smiling at the antics both on stage and
in the stalls.
– Glenn Meads (reviewed at the Palace Theatre, Manchester)
NOTE: The following review dates from April 2001 and an earlier tour of this production.Danielle, aged 10, loved this show. And so did this reviewer. Danni is usually a good show barometer. She loves musicals, circus, dance, and pantomime. Fortunately, The Twits proves to be a combination of all four. Danni did not look at her watch once, definitely a good omen.
From the depths of Roald Dahl‘s sinister and creepy imagination comes this story of Mr and Mrs Twit, surely the grossest couple to disgrace the page or the stage. Their personal habits are unspeakable (very appealing to children) and they spend their lives playing cruel and nasty tricks on each other. Mr Twit decides to start a circus and so travels to Africa to capture the Mugglewumps, a family of monkeys. They’re taken back to England and trained to perform upside down, but with the help of the Roly Poly Bird (and the audience) are finally freed from the clutches of the dastardly duo.
Director Kathi Leahy and writer David Wood brilliantly translate this simple morality story to the stage. Leahy (from the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry) brings a consistent style and tight direction to the piece. Wood is, of course, a veteran in providing first class children’s entertainment (Dahl’s BFG and The Witches amongst others) and certainly doesn’t disappoint here. He seems to have the knack of not playing down to kids and yet providing entertainment which adults will not find tedious.
The Twits’ tale is told within a circus ambience with Ringmaster/Narrator Sidney Sloane developing an immediate rapport with the young audience. Appealing Susan Swanton does some impressive rope tricks as the Roly Poly Bird, and there’s a clutch of enthusiastic and acrobatic children playing the Mugglewumps and their bird friends.
Commanding the stage, however, are Isabel Ford and Richard J Fletcher as Mr and Mrs Twit. They are both absolutely ghastly and very, very funny. In appearance, they’re a cross between Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovatt, and Shockheaded Peter. In character, their physical comedy is outstanding and their timing superb. In particular, Ford’s movement and facial contortions are in the best tradition of commedia dell’ arte. Surely, we’ll be seeing much more of her.
Design and lighting (by Tom Conroy and Brian Harris) are simple, colourful and evocative, and there’s an excellent incidental musical score by Dylan Vaughan who provides a number of tuneful comedy and dramatic backgrounds.
As children’s entertainment, The Twits is a sure-fire winner. The kids – including Danni – loved it. And you will too.
Stephen Gilchrist
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