| A totally captivating gem of a show |
Theatr Iolo |
| Theatr Iolo- Finding Leaves for Soup , Llanover Hall, Cardiff , May 20, 2009 |
Another spectacular diminutive gem of a performance from the twenty-one year old Theatr Iolo, who though now in its mature years continues to produce innovative work that always totally captivates their young audiences. To a degree, influenced by primary school teachers asking to include nursery age children into the company’s plays designed for the 5+ group, the company under the guidance of the sensitive theatricality of director Sarah Argent turned to examine closer and present animated stories for this younger audience.This production follows on from two previous projects which like Finding Leaves for Soup, the stories and the dialogue have all sprung from children being guided by the company to explore provocative objects and situations. In the first, stories and ideas grew from objects being taken from a suitcase, handed round and talked about. Then the company took their young audience Under the Carpet from which a second delightful play was brought engagingly to life, again written the same way. For this production the company teamed with the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the Forestry Commission. With education staff from these organisations the director and her actors went off to the Hensol Forest in The Vale of Glamorgan to study the children’s reactions. From this adventure Finding Leaves for Soup emerged. Whilst the youngsters may have provided the words and the narrative huge credit must go to actors Hannah McPake and her musical forest friend Jak Poore for succeeding so well in bringing all the smells and the feel of the forest so vividly and charmingly to life. McPake’s role demands a lot of sophisticated understanding of the techniques of the stage performer, this she most certainly has but so skilfully does she manipulate them in her performance of a very young girl who thinks she’s a fairy and has the wings to prove it, that throughout the play she has every small and every large eye glued to her. Jak starts a bit on the shy side but he gains more and more confidence with his new found friend as the play progresses. Both live, on his ukulele and with his recorded music he adds to the magic and enchantment of the story. They nearly eat worms, sail a boat on a pond, get covered in mud and there is a load more than just leaves going into their soup. It never quite gets cooked, that’s something we have to come back for tomorrow. The Welsh Assembly Government has recently introduced the Foundation Phase play-based curriculum for children aged 3 to 7.The Foundation Phase places great emphasis on children learning by doing. Theatre Iolo were well ahead of them and this production has been presented on behalf of the Welsh Assembly as an illustration of what education through outdoor activity can achieve. |
Reviewed by: Michael Kelligan |
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