Polka and Theatr Iolo teamed up last year to create Tidy, a children’s show based on the illustrated book by Emily Gravett. It opened in London last year, received a really positive response from parents, and is now touring Wales with its Welsh-language counterpart Taclus.
The show follows Pete the badger and his friends, as Pete tries to ‘tidy up’ the forest. As autumn approaches, his pastime becomes a fixation – he tries to sweep up every leaf from the floor and make sure each tree looks nice. He and his friends eventually end up destroying the forest, and Pete has to make the decision to put things right, before their home is ruined forever.
For the most part, Tidy is a fun, well-performed show. A moment where a full-sized digger arm features as a stage puppet sees many young audience members’ faces just light up; the children are, for the most part, happy and engaged. Its cast, meanwhile, are joyous to watch. Owen Alun is really endearing as Pete the badger, managing to get the kids onside and lead them through the plot effectively. His character is – if you think about it long enough – rather unpleasant, but you don’t get that sense from him at all, and he models ‘flawed but with good intentions’ well for young watchers.
Elin Phillips brings huge smiles to young faces as Rabbit: most of the biggest belly laughs in the show are from her, and she brings much-needed lightness to darker moments effectively. Carwyn Jones’ musical offerings are wonderful, adding magic and whimsy to the show; he’s also a great physical performer.
On the note of music, however, parents and schools may wish to note that the production gets quite loud at points – including an ominous moment where the lights go red, rock guitar shreds, and Pete mows down the forest with a tiny chainsaw. This is painted as amusing and many children didn’t mind it – but some covered their ears and one did start crying. Ear defenders are offered – pick them up for children with sensory needs, if only for this section of the show.
It’s also perhaps less ‘gentle’ a cautionary tale as Tidy’s website indicates, and bleaker. Following the deforestation, Pete manages to create a dystopian hellscape by digging up and concreting over the forest, starving him and everyone else he knows of food and causing a flood. There are still moments of humour throughout – and a sweet, beautiful happy ending – but if your child is a little sensitive, you may wish to prepare them for it. If anything, I think a lot of shows are too gentle on kids – yet I’d like to have had them be guided through this one’s more difficult bits a little more, and have what was happening explained more clearly. There’s a fine line between doing too much and too little for young audiences, and I’m just not sure this co-production balanced it well enough.
Would I recommend taking your young one to see Tidy? As long as you make sure that you and them are going in informed, absolutely – it’s gorgeous.
Tidy, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, Sat 15 Feb
words HARI BERROW photos KIRSTEN MCTERNAN
