The Stage

George’s Marvellous Medicine

Published Friday 13 November 2009 at 16:50 by Pat Ashworth

David Wood’s sparkling new adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic gets the ear-splitting, roof-raising response it deserves at the Old Rep. Mayhem reigns in flurries of hens, squirming piglets and mad glimpses of bulls, while George tries to read his book, please his hard-working parents and plot revenge on the grandma from hell.

A scene from George's Marvellous Medicine at Birmingham Old Rep Photo: Ian Tilton

Clark Devlin as George has the young audience on his side from the word go, with a natural performance that puts them right in his shoes. The naughty thing, the very Dahl thing, is that he makes them his co-conspirators and there’s mounting glee on both sides as he eggs them on and throws in ever more dreadful ingredients for grandma’s medicine. They have an active part in making things happen that even the toughest enter into with gusto.

Erika Poole relishes the role of Grandma, with “a face puckered up like a dog’s bottom” and knocking back the gin. There a wonderful dream sequence with a whoopee cushion, where George imagines what a fun grandma would be like. The pace of it all is aided by a split level set of farmyard, farmhouse kitchen and upstairs attic that accommodates a whirlwind of movement.

There are delightful and energetic performances too from Alison Fitzjohn as Mum and Tom Woodman as Dad. They manage to manipulate the animal puppets on top of everything else and to preserve an air of normality as the whole thing descends into chaos. It’s absolutely wicked and not just for the children.