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The Owl and the Pussycat went to see…

Published Monday 10 December 2007 at 12:25 by Mary Redman

Simple charm and unfussy delight are keynotes of this small show with an enormous heart.

Absolutely everyone engages with director David Toltek’s vision of Edward Lear’s hilarious nonsense world with great commitment. It’s pure entertainment with enchanting props such as the pea green boat, many by master carpenter John Dobson.

Louisa-Marie Hunt’s energetic Quangle Wangle’s house has a Christmas pudding roof while Robert Paul’s nastily hopping, very hungry Plum Pudding Flea is round and stuffed with raisins.

Jack Merivale’s anxious, long tall Owl has round NHS-issue glasses while Sarah Rushton’s Pussycat is a nicely brought up young lady.

James Sinclair’s affectingly sad, anxious and lugubrious Dong with the luminous nose is quite lit up nasally speaking. Even though he can’t get married to Penelope Lambton’s charming Jumblie Girl who has a strong singing voice. Julia Curle’s long-handled Runcible Spoon sleepwalks elegantly while Colin Reed’s Turkey gobbles and moves to great effect.

Barry Davis’ ingenious multilevel set is a super background for Joy Dunn’s costumes showing Dr Seuss-style witty imagination. Paul Tomkinson’s choreography captures the creatures’ characteristics, making excellent use of spaces.

Having arrived tense and flustered, this show’s honest and joyful entertainment calmed me through and through. A treat.

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