Twelfth Night
Wimbledon/Touring
 
Shakespeare 4 Kidz Theatre Company pulls out all the pantomime stops in a successful endeavour in the modern idiom to make this complicated story clear to children. They respond with gusto and obvious enjoyment but the sad thing is only a few hands went up when asked if they had been to a theatre before. So this colourful production on a sixth-month national tour is a welcome recruitment drive for future audiences. For purists the original text remains intact.

Before curtain up there is an energetic and entertaining warm-up session as prologue. Minimal but effective scenery is whisked around on wheels to back the various acting areas and lively music accompanies the amusing lyrics by director Julian Chenery and composer Matt Gimblett. For extra measure there are also the Bard's very own Mistress Mine and The Wind and the Rain.

Alan Clarke cuts a dash playing Malvolio's yellow garter scene as pure cabaret, Tristan Carter is the bored Orsino in caricature and Samuel Dutton as Feste resembles both Jack Point and panto comedian, Mark Lyminster's Sir Toby is sufficiently bawdry and Jeremy Worsnip makes a refined Sir Aguecheek. In contrast ate Jo-Anne Nighy as a solemn Olivia and Nicola Emsley as a romantic and perky Viola, Mia Taylor is the crafty Maria.

All in all the characters are true to the Bard's text, while extra pantomime effects are provided by a trio of funsters.
 
Peter Tatlow
 
© 2001 The Stage Newspaper