The Stage

Boing! who can sleep on Christmas Eve?

Published Monday 13 December 2010 at 11:59 by Jeremy Brien

Bristol Old Vic and Travelling Light children’s theatre stalwarts, director Sally Cookson and designer Katie Sykes, have been faithful to their young Bristol fans this Christmas - despite spreading their wings in other directions. They are just coming to the end of a three-month nationwide tour for Scamp Theatre, with a stage version of Julia Donaldson’s young people’s book Stick Man, but have still found time to rehearse this hip-hop seasonal offering for three-year-olds and upwards at the BOV Studio.

Wilkie Branson and Joel Daniels in Boing! who can sleep on Christmas Eve at New Vic Studio, Bristol Photo: Farrows Creative

Every parent will be in sympathy with the show’s title. The difficulties two young breakdancing brothers have in getting to sleep, before the man with the big white beard arrives, create a high octane series of toe-tapping adventures. The companies’ association with Champloo Dance energetic b-boy specialists Wilkie Branson and Joel Daniel has sparked a series of inventive images that have the youngsters out front in stitches, but also bring moments of enchantment, especially when it ‘snows’ white feathers from the flies right at the end.

Sibling rivalries and ructions are not forgotten either, while Alex Vann’s music contributes towards establishing that unbeatable feeling of excitement and anticipation on the night before Christmas.