| A sparkling bottle of delight |
Theatr Iolo |
| Theatr Iolo- Journey , Llanover Hall Arts Centre , June 18, 2002 |
| A devised piece for four year old and upwards. Llanover Hall Cardiff Tuesday June 18 and Wednesday 19th June 2002 and touring schools etc. throughout South Wales until 1 Dec A sparkling bottle of delight - sounds like champagne! Perhaps not quite the correct analogy for a production for four year olds. But that was definitely the feeling I had in my head at the end of this latest, quality production from Artistic Director Kevin Lewis and his associates at Cardiff based Theatr Iolo. The piece original devised in 1993 remains fresh, exciting and highly amusing absorbing its audience to the highest degree. Its clean simplicity is the key to its success. With its deliberate Picasso influence, Portuguese designer Ana Mestre setting is much more acessible its colour and form giving it a delicate cartoon quality which is taken up by the performers. Gwenfair Vaughan Jones as 'The Old Woman' totters gracefully. Emyr John give a touch of poetry and bewilderment as 'The Captain' and there a particularly lovely performance of 'The Bird' by Ana Joseph although she doesn't actually fly she certainly looks as if she is very able to do so. The three of them don't seems to get on very well to begin with but as the play progress they find that they have a real need to get on well together and form a very happy 'portrait and the curtain call. No heavy message, a simple story gentle making its point to its very appreciative young audience. The earlier production toured to the Luaga Losna Festival in Austria. The production can be seen at the Sherman Theatre Cardiff in the Autumn and at the Polka Theatre and half Moon Theatre and again in London at The Lyric Theatre Hammersmith in the Spring of 2003. I know some of our 'grown up' Theatre companies have taken work to London and further a field. but this is a fine example of the best of 'made in Wales' winning its place in a wider field. The last time the Arts Council of Wales became proactive on TIE matters it nearly dug its own grave. Currently it is consulting on its latest strategy. In Wales our TIE companies are the finest to be found any where in the World. The only strategy the Arts Council needs in to continue and enhance its support for these organisation who have undoubtedly proven their value to the Welsh Theatre scene. |
Reviewed by: Michael Kelligan |
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