London
Beasty Baby

Polka Theatre
240 Broadway,
London,
SW19 1SB

Check performance times/dates with the Box Office;
or at www.polkatheatre.com

Runs: 55 mins, to 03 01 16

Box Office 020 8543 4888
Book online at www.polkatheatre.com
Age Suitability
Ages 3-6

Review by Carole Woddis of performance seen Dec 12, 2015:

Utterly engaging and charming dance puppetry for younger children
Sue Buckmaster is something of a doyenne when it comes to the British puppet world and Theatre-Rites, the company she set up in 1996, coincided with her also starting her own family. Her work for them – 22 shows and counting – has reflected much of her experience juggling her career as a theatre director and puppeteer with bringing up a family.

Both are apparent in this charmingly inventive dance-puppet piece aimed at 3-6 year olds.

I took along two 4 ½ year old companions and their mother, my niece – not our first theatre outing with the twins; we took them when only two year olds, maybe not the wisest of decisions! – but I’m pleased to report that this time one of the two, sitting on the floor of the Polka’s welcoming theatre space, seemed glued.

Beasty Baby tells a simple tale – if not so simple when you’re living it – of child rearing from the first loving embrace of the new arrival, through nappy changing, sleepless nights to a developing clattering, bouncing toddler with a vocabulary made up of `No’, `Yes’, Again’ and `Why?’.

Told by three performers, John Leader, Sian Kidd and Zimbabwean mbira specialist, John Pfumojena, all three show a nice, easy sense of audience connection, musical showmanship and a bit of athleticism mixed with puppeteering skills when it comes to handling Beasty Baby.

As a round, gurgling, broad faced puppet, Beasty Baby turns out to be mischievous rather than naughty but as always with these puppet shows, it’s the magic of sleight of hand that takes over. We see him demanding more food, making discoveries and best of all from the young audience point of view, rebelling against parents. The more Beasty Baby says `No’, the more the young audience laugh and scream, clearly seeing themselves reflected. As do parents with the rituals and endless repetition of coping with a toddler.

Sue Buckmaster and her team add a delightful touch of snowy Scandinavian Nights atmosphere and decor yet an even wider appeal is introduced via Pfumojena’s African sounding mbira together with upturned beds that suddenly become percussive instruments.

Nice, very nice.

Beasty Baby

Cast:
John Leader
Sian Kidd
John Pfumojena

Devised by Sue Buckmaster and the company
Director: Sue Buckmaster
Designer: Verity Quinn
Composer and Sound Designer: Jessica Dannheisser
Additional composition: John Pfumojena
Puppet Design: Sue Buckmaster and Naomi Oppenheim
Puppet Maker: Naomi Oppenheim
Lighting Designer: Chris Randall

Presented by Theatre-Rites and Polka Theatre

First perf of this production at Polka Theatre, Oct 14, 20

2015-12-17 11:31:48