REVIEW | Raven, Alphabetti Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reviewer - Stacy
*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
Children's theatre is an integral part in the world of performing arts as it holds the responsibility of introducing our young audience members to the vast and wonderful world that the theatre has to offer. With great power comes great responsibility and I feel that theatre for children should be elevated and appreciated for the role that they play in producing the next generation of theatre goers.
My trip to Alphabetti this week was to see Raven, a joyous journey of bravery and discovery that focuses on children's mental health. With a storyline that blends music, puppetry, and even a talking gargoyle, what more could you possibly want? The running time came in under the 60-minute mark which is perfect for the recommended age range of 7–11-year-olds in order to hold and retain interest....and hold and retain interest is what this show did from start to finish.
The piece burst to life with enthusiasm and joy as Maya Torres, playing Raven, entered the playing space. Maya is such an endearing presence on stage as she moves with such physicality and animation which filled the whole room with personality in an infectious manner. This physical presence never waned once throughout as she brought Raven to life on her brave journey.
Maya was joined on stage by Ruth Mary Johnson playing the dual roles of Agnita and Neat which were opposite parts each carried out well. I particularly enjoyed the role of Neat which was stylistic and choreographed perfectly to create a character who verged on the edge of villainy to great effect.
Carl Wylie brought to life the part of Sleek, an endearing and lovable character, which he embraced with every fibre of his being. He provided the perfect match to Maya's energy and together they created some wonderful moments in the piece.
The original music score and sound design was created by Calum Howard, who not only played the piano, but voiced and manoeuvred the gargoyle. His tone of voice resonated throughout the room to give such a commanding presence as he animated the gargoyle with many comical highlights to add to the overall charm of the piece. His songs blended well and enhanced rather than detracted from the story.
The storyline (written by Danielle Slade) embedded its messages in a harmonious fashion without being overtly didactic which was refreshing to see in children's theatre. The puppetry blended into the rhythm of the piece and wasn’t there for gimmicky effect and the songs were stylised and composed wonderfully well.
The whole piece came across perfectly as a whole through the direction of Stan Hodgson. Your biggest critics in children's theatre are your young audience members and who can argue with an enthralled young mind who unabashedly said "Mam this is really funny" for everyone to hear...and I for one am in complete agreement.
Raven is wild entertainment with a huge heart. Pure joy from start to finish.
