Stories on a String, 4****, London

London

STORIES ON A STRING

Written by Rachel Warr and Rachel Hayter.

Music by Rachel Hayter.

4****

Little Angel Theatre, Dagmar Passage, Cross Street, Islington until 3 July 2018 and then Brentwood Children’s Literary Festival 28 July 2018 & on tour.

Details – www.storiesonastringshow.com

Runs 60 mins No interval.

Review: William Russell 1 June 2018

@ReviewsGate

Beguiling tale up the Amazon

And now for something completely different…. This show for children held its audience of under tens in the Little Angel Theatre totally enraptured. Presented by Dotted Line Theatre and Polyglot Arts it was like nothing they could have seen on their mobile phones or i-pads. Based on a Brazilian story telling style, Litteratura de Cordel, it is about a little girl called Jacina, a child of the internet, who journeys up the Amazon to the world her grandmother came from and discovers real as opposed to on line life.

Two puppeteers, a story teller and a man with a guitar, lots of strips of paper with scenery painted on them, some puppets – Jacina, her grandmother, and assorted birds and beasts of the jungle appear and songs are sung. The result is audience participation when required, silent worship when not. It is not remotely like one of those puppet shows where they dangle from strings or pop up as glove puppets on hidden hands. It is just what it is and nothing could be more enchanting.

Director / Co-writer: Rachel Warr

Composer/ Co-writer: Rachel Hayter

Puppeteers: Ajjaz Awad & Jum Faruq

Musicians: Rachel Hayter & Camilo Menjura.

3D Puppet designer: Judith Hope

2D puppet designers: Jum Faruq, Tom Crame, Rachel Warr