It’s all in the mind

To say that Philip Pullman’s work is complex and open to interpretation is like saying roses are red. On several occasions I tried reading one of his books and failed miserably. The TV adaptation of His Dark Materials (BBC) in 2019 left me similarly befuddled so I gave series two the swerve. What I remember is it being a multi-world reality. An alternative world where all human souls manifest as animal companions, the daemons. An orphan Lyra, a world governed by the Magisterium, a mysterious quasi political and religious outfit. Lyra uncovers a number of misdemeanours linked to Dust, an equally mysterious substance…and so it goes on. I worked hard to stay with it but TV seemed to be the wrong medium. So to The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage (Bridge Theatre), which is a prequel to what I describe above. If it’s good for Star Wars…
This is a whole different mind game and Bryony Lavery’s adaptation, directed by Nicholas Hytner along with co-directors Emily Burns and James Cousins, is a production that is daring and innovative paying handsome dividends. For the first few moments I was still in sceptic mode but then I strapped myself in and enjoyed every moment of a compelling and provocative ride. Bob Crowley’s set is a thing of beautiful simplicity which transforms into scenes of visual magic courtesy of Luke Hall’s inspired videos. The scene depicting a great flood of Biblical proportions is spellbinding and also gave me the giggles knowing of Pullman’s atheistic beliefs. He describes himself as a “Church of England atheist.”
Here we see Lara as a baby in the safe keeping of Alice and Malcom and Alice, a potgirl and potboy. The daemons are delicious specimens and great credit goes to Barnaby Dixon for their creation and direction. The snake, an uncurling stretch across the set, a cute lemur wrapped around a neck but the most astounding is the astonishing physical alchemy of a kingfisher into a cat. And so the tale unfurls in episodes that are like enchanting vignettes. The only problem with that is the ease with which one gets so lost in the splendiferousness that the narrative becomes secondary.
The whole cast are first rate across and the show will thrill audiences now and into the future for it deserves to be revived. My recently turned teenage companion did pose an interesting question about the target audience, bearing in mind there are stories of child abuse and even an attempted rape. Definitely too frightening for kids, perhaps too simple for adults but we both agreed anybody with a thirst for adventure, be it physical or metaphysical, will love it. A super Christmas alternative.
Meanwhile Sotira Kyriakides revels in the traditional…
A Child in the Snow is a perfect Christmas Time treat, an atmospheric ghost story staged at the equally atmospheric Wiltons Music Hall. Based on The Old Nurse’s Tale by Elizabeth Gaskell (who also wrote Cranford, screened by the BBC to great acclaim), this story is set in 1918. Hester, a young nurse recently returned from the horrors of the first world war, is suffering amnesia around her childhood spent in Furnivall Hall, an isolated manor house in Northumbria. She consults a psychic, who she hopes will unlock the repressed memories which continue to haunt her.
Against the backdrop of the now-dilapidated manor, the play opens to gorgeous effects of swirling snow, howling wind and ghostly trees. The scene is set for the supernatural to be revealed through a seance. A phantom child roams the Northumberland moors, begging to be let into the house, and the secret of the past is gradually unearthed. The jealousy and revenge to be found there are met with Hester’s determination to free both the child and herself.
The staging is simple and effective, the acting is excellent, and the suspense (which makes the play unsuitable for the under-12s) is intensified with some magic tricks that will leave you wondering how they did it. A very enjoyable production, in a theatre that is part of the experience.
And Stefania Guzelle loves that dirty rat…
We were invited to join the Yvonne Arnaud for a “pussycat and rat-packed” show, the welcome return of their pantomime, Dick Whittington. Sound tempting? Well it is and well worth catching, that’s the rat and the pussycat. The show is a winner and fantastic festive entertainment. We all know the tale of young Dick Whittington heading to London to seek fame and fortune where the streets are paved with gold (our parents were told that too!), only to find the truth is otherwise. In this case the evil King Rat is out to get him. Thankfully Dick has Tomi, a loyal cat on his side and when the action gets going there are loads of laughs with those wonderful characters, Fairy Bowbells, Sally the Cook and Idle Jack and a sextet from the GSA (Guildford School of Acting) who sing their hearts out and dance with great energy. Under thirties will recognise most of them and I like the way they “mashed up” some of them.
But I cannot lie and have to confess to being smitten by that oleaginous dirty rat, King Rat, played by panto veteran Kit Hesketh-Harvey. He’s dastardly and devious and has slimily sarcastic comic timing and in true pantomime style provided adult entertainment in a nice acceptable way for all the family. He fed off the booing and his ad-libs were starlight out of the panto sewer…in the best possible way. That said the whole cast are great and this is one Christmas show you should not miss. Oh no you shouldn’t!
Finally, Tilly Zidane is in la la laugh land…
My first panto experience and my jaw is still aching. Potted Panto (Garrick Theatre) is one of those shows that will have you in stitches with the jokes coming at a rapid rate of knots. I was exhausted watching them so good knows how they were at the end of it. They are Daniel Clarkson and Gary Trainor and in just seventy minutes they rip through the whole pantomime genre in a way that is as fresh and witty as you can get. That’s ten minutes per pantomime because as we all know there are only seven real pantos. No I don’t know but who cares when they are presented in this way. What’s especially clever is how they mix silliness with satire and the banter is brimming with hilarity. I swear that their words are not all in the script and that being the case they’re brilliant improvisers too. After this first I can’t wait for my next panto and there are lots of options available to right now. Just make sure you see this one too.

The Book of Dust’ – www.bridgetheatre.co.uk
A Child in the Snow – www.wiltons.org.uk
Dick Whittington – www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
Potted Panto – www.nimaxtheatres.com