Theatr Iolo |
| Theatr Iolo: Visiting Katt and Fredda , Chapter Cardiff , November 4, 2011 |
The almost monochrome set of curious garments hanging on rails was the first hint of anticipation and excitement that was one of the overriding atmospheres in this, in some ways quite a challenging play, aimed mainly at six to ten year old children. At the outset Katt and Fredda, two Pippi Long stocking type youngsters are extremely charming and great friends and we are able to relax in their delightful harmony and appreciate how they have set things up to share everything together.Beneath all this joviality there are the beginnings of some real, Pinteresque tension. Director Kevin Lewis, with actors Aiste Gramantaite, Katt and Ceri Elen, Fredda have cleverly been able, with the pitch of their playing, to present us with a hint of tension beneath their seeming ‘domestic’ bliss. Soon the air starts to slowly seep out of the balloon. Katt begins to contemplate, quite innocently, the prospect of a visitor but Fredda is more than happy to let things stay as they are. As the discussion continues the keenly anticipated knock on the door comes and the visitor enters and we wonder what the effect will be. Wiebke Acton is very tall, this plays well in the early comedy mime scenes and we enter the world of the early black and film era. The girls may not have white faces but there is some very amusing clown-like behaviour from the threesome before things start to go wrong. Although it was Katt who had wished for a visitor, Miranda takes more readily to Fredda, particularly to her nose. Miranda celebrates this with some very jolly, surrealist ukulele playing and singing. All this delights Fredda and she joins in the singing and they both enjoy the curious fun while Katt sulks and complains loudly. By now Miranda is lapping up the attention Fredda is giving her and starts to ‘queen’ it over both of them. They have a go at making the best of it and it and we are giving a hilarious spaghetti eating sequence. Eventually Miranda proves to be the elephant in the room and Fredda now concludes that things were better when it was just the two of them. The original friends build up the pressure on Miranda and eventual she leaves and normal life is restored. There appears to be a deceptive superficiality as the play begins but the fine subtly of the directing and the beautifully judged performances by all three members of the cast who despite their differences in the story play together like a well rehearsed old time comedy trio. Writer Ingeborg von Zadow, a very popular and successful children’s playwright in Germany, could have taken the easy way out and they could have all lived ‘happy ever after’, but we discovered in the question and answer session after the show that ending the play this way really provoked the minds and imagination of the young school children that the play is aimed at and they came up with some very startling and considered interpretation. Which is exactly what this production was designed to do. There was thoughtful provocation and great enjoyment for the ‘grown ups’ as well. |
Reviewed by: Michael Kelligan |
This review has been read 2055 times There are 39 other reviews of productions with this title in our database:
|
