Monkey!

Published Friday 20 June 2008 at 15:25 by Kevin Berry

Here is an excitingly staged, respectful and effortlessly funny version of the ancient Chinese tale. What could be a complex story is clearly told but never, thank goodness, over-simplified.

Jami Reid-Quarrell plays Monkey and dashes around like Harp Marx with a darker sense of mischief. His all-round exuberance gives the story its edge.

This visually powerful production is given extra zest with the use of varied aerial equipment - characters are on a trapeze, on high silks, on dangly ropes and clambering up static ropes. Wendy Hesketh as Buddhist monk Tripitaka performs an eye-catching dance while attached to a bungee rope. Skimming across lily ponds, soaring, twisting and turning, she dances without hindrance. Hesketh and Reid-Quarrell, also bungee attached, skim across the world on their quest to find Buddhist scriptures. The effect is epic and utterly enchanting.

When Hesketh confronts a group of demons she despatches them with a quite beautiful display of martial grace. All of the aerial performers make the act of getting off the ground look effortless. Matt Costain, as the Buddha, hangs absolutely still on the trapeze without a flicker of movement.

Tony Hasnath’s combat artistry is a key contribution, while Mike Goodenough’s half-man, half-pig Pigsy is playful comic fun, almost a pantomime part.

Costumes are super, especially for the massive fish dragon. In fact, it’s an all-round super show, if disappointingly short.