A warm hearted wintery tale for youngsters...
Lakeside Arts have got a warming wintery alternative to bum numbing panto running this December. As we reach peak jumper season Tutti Frutti theatre have run with a classic thread, weaving a clever take on the Aesop’s fable into an hour of well knitted snowy family fun.
After welcoming younger audience members finding their seats, the three nimble knitting nanas settle to tell the tale. Clickety-clack, go the needles. A snowy village nestled under mountain. Clickety-clack. A family of shepherds, filled with a love of stories told by the fire side while they knit. Clickety-clack. The tiny glowing houses of a knitting village far below a young shepherd high on the mountain, freezing his nadgers off keeping an eye on the stupid sheep.
It's just not what he had in mind. Young Silas had wistful teenage dreams of space adventure, storytelling and the circus, but now he’s standing in for his lively old Granddad who is slowing down and just not up for another winter up on the freezing slopes. So, just Silas and the stupid shape busting sheep. He knows where he’d rather be, down enjoying the fun of the Christmas jumper competition with the larger than life yarn mad villagers.
Shape busting sheep? Yes. The baa-army sheep! Bonkers woolly break dancing interludes keep things lithely fun. Another talented hat (also knitted) to our nimble trio, who seamlessly swap between characters and instruments, deploy subtle set change touches and weave you deeper into the story. Clickety-clack.
The visual touches were equally clever, I loved the perspective of the light up model village down in the valley, or the creeping red glow of the mythical wolves that stalk the high forests, coupled with their signature sinister sound. A little touch of the scary as all good children’s tales should have.
This is a cracking bit of kids theatre. Not too long, lively yet gently touching. Interesting undertones on topics of expectation and responsibility, looks SEN friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed it, my six year old did as well, except for the sheep, which given his lack of knowledge of nineties shapes and breaks was understandable. He also advises, better than panto.
The Boy who Cries Wolf plays at Lakeside Arts until 31 December 2023
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