Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play

Published Thursday 8 May 2008 at 12:45 by Lisa Martland

Having already been made into a successful BBC TV series, it was only going to be a matter of time before a stage version of Lauren Child’s popular Charlie and Lola children’s books came along. To retain the huge charm of these characters in a live setting is a challenge, but for the most part this collaboration between BBC Worldwide and the Polka succeeds.

As the show starts, there is a sense that the young audience is adjusting to the way adaptor Jonathan Lloyd (who has combined a number of the Charlie and Lola stories) and director Roman Stefanski have recreated the brother and sister’s world. Throughout the piece, the two-dimensional figures of Charlie and Lola are controlled by four skilful and animated puppeteers, who not only set the scene but literally become part of the action. Three-dimensional objects come into play as props but also in the sequences when Lola’s imagination goes off on its flights of fancy.

Indeed it is when the young audience sees Charlie’s homemade rocket jetting off into outer space or magician Lola conjuring colourful butterflies down from above that they really start to enjoy themselves. A somewhat low-key beginning, affected a little by the timing of pre-recorded dialogue, very soon picks up pace.

One begins to realise that any staging larger than this would have totally gone against the grain of the author’s original vision. Instead everything about the production - including Sophie Charalambous’ designs and Julian Butler’s excellent music - is true to the essence of her work while adding some magical and very funny theatrical touches (children checking under their seats for ogres being just one).