ROOM ON THE BROOM
New Theatre, Cardiff
Thurs 16 Jan
*****
It’s fair to say you’ve probably come across the exquisite creative talent of children’s author Julia Donaldson at some point. The Gruffalo? The Stick Man? Those vibrant characters stand as firm classics on children’s bookshelves. My daughter and I were bubbling with excitement for Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler’s Room On The Broom, in a stage version by Tall Stories and directed by Olivia Jacobs, at Cardiff’s New Theatre.
In a dimly lit room, the perception of a night’s storytelling is enhanced by woodland sounds, whilst the audience take their seats. The hooting of owls draws gasps of surprise and the flickering of a moon promises magic to come. The set, designed by Morgan Large, is simple yet creates an enticing atmosphere, like you’re sat together in the woods. There are trees battered with old broomsticks and logs used as points of elevation for the array of interesting characters introduced throughout the show.
Our witch, played by Rosamund Hine, is full of whimsy and scatter-brained wonder. Her lilting, fluttery voice obliterates fears of witches being evil and nasty! In fact, she was rather hilarious as she bobbed dreamily away on her broom, inviting lovable misfits to join her on a quest to defeat a scary dragon.
The puppets truly stole the show. Collectively manoeuvred by the four main cast members, the moment Dog joined the fray, children lit up, giggling with wonder. Parents tittered as the puppeteer (Jake Waring) wagged the tail of the boisterous little beastie. And all of us joined in with clapping, cheering and singing, particularly when the long-legged and rather loud Frog leapt into the limelight.
Cat, played by Emma Crowley-Bennett, nestled herself firmly in our hearts. Though apprehensive towards the broom’s new occupants as they journey through the night, her cautious and often comical remarks were punctuated with a constant offering of jellybeans to her witchy friend, by way of distraction. And her costume was fabulous!
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Every witch finds herself needing to cast magnificent spells… And what better way to make some serious magic with the help of the audience? A high point for the squealing kiddies was when actor Alastair Chisholm, suited up as a bright red dragon, wandered into the aisles looking for children to gobble up. Surprisingly, there were a sea of young volunteers.
Will our witchy heroine defeat the dragon with the help of her friends? Will she find her missing hat? Her beautiful bow? Her starry wand? If you love magic, masterful puppetry, owls hooting from treetops and songs that tickle funny bones, this is one to invest your heart in. As amusingly quoted during the performance, Room On The Broom gets “5 stars on Witch Advisor” from us!
words KARLA BRADING
Room On The Broom (for everyone aged 3 and up) is at the New Theatre, Cardiff until Sun 19 Jan. Tickets and info here.