Writer: Jonathan Swift, Lulu Raczka and company
Director: Jaz Woodcock-Stewart
Banish forever all thoughts of theatre for young people being immature or childish itself. A sizable chunk of the top-price West End shows has but a fraction of the emotional depth and intelligence of work like this.
Sticking to the outlines of Swift’s infamous adventure, and retaining his use of the whole thing as a way to tackle other issues, this is a warmly reformatted and re-presented take on the tale. Told with joyful energy and an absorbing use of video camera and projections to play with space, size and perception, this is a work that explores boundaries in many directions and challenges both the kids and the adults of the audience. The original from Swift is a work critical of the many ills in society, government and culture he saw, a sometimes caustic and bad-tempered piece of writing. What we have here is a weighty but elegant and accessible journey of imagination to solve a problem.
It’s grounded in a sadly familiar reality. With a sick mother and harried sister, Grace looks to her imagination for diversion and an escape from having to engage with her scary world, her chores or her own feelings. She conjures up a wild adventure as Gulliver involving near drowning, an island of tiny people, then of giant people, then one that floats. A last ditch and desperate attempt at avoidance is made with a visit to the Houyhnhnms (horse people who believe in kindness, beauty, truth and goodness) before recognising the value her real world holds.
Through each of the worlds she visits, she learns some crucial lessons. It veers a little close to being like a Sunday-school session at times, but we can be forgiving given who the target audience is. She’s just a child, as so many of the audience, who learns there are situations when it’s OK to make your presence felt, the value of having chores and responsibilities as well as fun, and that there’s a time for thought and a true time for action. It’s absolutely a charming way to convey some deep truths.
Through the use of highly mobile stage equipment like lights, cameras, figurines and tables, the island worlds and odd dimensions are created in Rosanna Vize’ large open set. Gulliver the gargantuan dances with tiny Lilliputians before seamlessly becoming a star on a tiny stage for the giants. The four performers double up their jobs, and become part of the stage team to nimbly get everything swiftly in order.
As Grace / Gulliver, Mae Munuo is a delight, bringing us into her world as friends and co-conspirators so we share her wonder at all she sees, and her fear that she tries to overcome. Each of the three others (Leah Brotherhead, Sam Swann, Jacoba Williams) play the full complement of other characters encountered on the various islands from whistling professors to aggressive Empresses, spoiled princesses to new friends.
At times, with suggestions and advice solicited from the younger audience members it felt like a summer panto. There was a visible and well placed intention to engage with the audience on as many levels as possible. The net result was a smart show, well performed with great use of tech with as much in it for someone in their first decade of life as those of us with quite a few more than that behind us.
Runs until 16 April 2022
The Reviews Hub Score
Weighty but elegant and accessible
