REVIEW | An Elephant in the Garden, Barn Theatre Digital.
An Elephant in the Garden
Barn Theatre Digital
★★★★★
As part of their Michael Morpurgo Stream Season, Barn Theatre are reviving two of their productions for the digital stage. The first is An Elephant in the Garden, streaming between 2-18 April. The play, based on the thrilling and moving novel by Michael Morpurgo has been adapted and directed for the stage by Simon Reid. In the spotlight of this production is Alison Reid, who captivates the passion and Elizabeth’s story with perfect precision that fills the entire performance space.
The story is set in 1944 where Elizabeth’s father is fighting with the German army on the eastern front. Her mother on the other hand works at Dresden Zoo, where her favourite animal is a young elephant named Marlene. When the zoo director tells the dangerous animals must be shot to prevent them running amok if the town is bombed, Elizabeth’s mother moves Marlene into the back garden to save her! and then the bombs start to fall. Their home destroyed, Elizabeth and her family must flee the bombed-out city and through the wintery landscape, all the while avoiding the Russian troops who are drawing ever closer. It would be hard enough, without an elephant in tow!
What is lost in a bigger company production is filled with Alison Reid’s captivating storytelling, the entire landscape came to life in that small space. Reid presents a effortless and clear transition between the eyes of the different characters within this story, even Marlene the elephant which she strongly portrays through her physical movement across the stage. Matthew Graham’s lighting design and Jason Barnes’ sound design really supports Alison’s storytelling superbly, particularly when some of the more frightening scenes take place.
Michael Morpurgo’s An Elephant in the Garden has been given the true magic of Barn Theatre’s digital platform in this 90 minute production perfect for the entire family to enjoy. It iis a gorgeous story that captivates a real eye-opening journey for one young woman with Marlene at her feet embodying the stubbornness of the human will and how it will do everything it can to survive. For such a short play it was incredibly enjoyable to watch and was really brought to life by the bringing together of one performer, the sound, set and lighting design.