As many bask in the afterglow of bridal pomp and circumstance, Hiccup Theatre has breathed new life into Edward Lear’s 140-year-old nonsense classic about the unlikely marriage of Owl and Pussycat.
Marise Rose and Ali Allen’s primary-coloured set, based on Lear sketches, grabbed the attention of an audience of under-8s, who were gently introduced to the tale by the soft guitar-playing of composer and actor Ivan Stott.
Simon Kerrigan made a lovable Owl, with a sweet and touching rapport with radiant Pussycat Claire Harvey.
Stott’s whimsical tunes and the trio’s magnificent miming – with plenty of props – kept tiny tots totally captivated. No mean feat.
Elliot Carmichael’s simple-but-effective lighting captured the mood yet all were upstaged by a puppet.
Piggywig, made by John Barber, was voiced by Stott, but Kerrigan and Harvey took turns to bring the prancing porker to life. The tiddlywinks were entranced.
Songs leant towards the lullaby, one country and western toe-tapping effort apart, voiced through another puppet – The Turkey – with an accent more Colonel Sanders than Bernard Matthews.
Apart from the failed confetti crowd participation, Hiccup Theatre produced an endearing introduction to Lear’s classic to inspire yet another generation.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here