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The Magic City | Reviews

REVIEWS

one4review.com - 21st August 2008
"beautifully performed this show was a joy to watch"

Philip is upset when his much older sister Helen announces she is getting married. Helen hopes the fact that her new husband’s daughter Lucy, who is a year younger than Philip might be a friend and playmate.

Phillip is distraught hating Lucy on sight despite being told not to touch Lucy’s toys by nurse, he builds a city. Sneaking down in the dead of night to look at his city for the last time Phillip is magically pulled into the city along with Lucy who followed him, and the adventure begins.

It appears that every town or city Philip has ever created has come to life along with both his and Lucy's toys. The toys are looking for the great deliverer who will save them from the great destroyer.

This show is created from a very complex book it has been skilfully condensed into a one hour-long play for children. The central characters of Peter and Lucy are the only two who do not have multiple charecterisation. The moving and adaptation of the sets in this show are fascinating and very clever, the way they change do not distract from the action. The cast take on many characters and some of them also take on the persona of puppet animals. They utilise many theatrical tricks puppetry and shadow-puppetry, lighting effects and more.

The children and adults of the audience seemed at times to be mesmerised by the action on stage but were a little reticent in joining in. Perhaps slightly older audiences would have joined in more giving the performers more to bounce off.
Cleverly adapted, beautifully performed this show was a joy to watch.

another source - 19th August 2008
"certainly caught the imaginations of the wide-eyed faces around me."

Ed Fest Mag

This adaptation of Edith Nesbit’s children’s fantasy book held the audience’s attention throughout. This is no mean feat when most of them were under seven. The tinkley, dainty music and the flickering fireplace made a cosy and inviting start. Philip has to go to live with his eager new stepsister, Lucy, while his older sister goes on her honeymoon. Crotchety and resentful in his new surroundings, Philip builds a city from Lucy’s toys despite instructions to not touch anything. The city then comes to life and the two children go on a magical adventure where they eventually learn to like each other.

The most striking thing about the piece is the quirkily and skilfully painted sets. There are archways of giant playing cards, sunsets, tropical pineapple lands and another snug sitting room. Paradoxically, the sets also prove the biggest hindrance to the piece. They are too bulky and difficult to move resulting in long and distracting scene changes. The script should perhaps have adhered more faithfully to the turn of the century language. The ‘oh, how terribly jolly’ style is attempted but strayed from and whenever a cast member says ‘Ok’, it stands out a mile. Despite these hitches, the energy of the cast, fun characterisations and friendly animal puppets certainly caught the imaginations of the wide-eyed faces around me.

Stage - 7th August 2008
"performed with evident theatrical skill and commitment"

Ollie Fielding’s deftly-constructed stage adaptation of Edith Nesbit’s magical story makes a satisfying 60-minute children’s play, performed with evident theatrical skill and commitment by Peaceful Lion.

Sent to stay with Lucy, a girl he at first dislikes, young Philip creates a make-believe world of her toys and books, which suddenly becomes full-size reality. Its nursery characters spring to life, welcoming Philip as their long-awaited Deliverer and Lucy as Princess, but the dreaded dragon must be slain, six more tests passed and the wicked Pretenderette repulsed by Julius Caesar jumping out of a schoolbook, before the brave pair are crowned King and Queen.

Matthew Bohrer and Nicola Pollard bring Blytonesque eagerness to the lead roles, with Luke Surl as Noah, strongly linking the many fast-moving episodes.Clever use of puppets and probably the most elaborate scenery ever in a fringe children’s show (but changed rather too often) help sustain the magic through many adventures – but this is definitely a show for the six-plus age range, rather than younger children.

Review by Brian G Cooper
Published online at 15:37 on Thursday 07 August 2008


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