“I’ve Got No strings”
01 Jul 2016
When reviewing a show this good, it’s hard to know where to start. So I’ll keep it simple and start at the beginning. “Once upon a time there was a piece of wood”… Everyone knows the story of Pinnochio but it has never been told quite like this. Mark Sell and Howard Sykes re-imagining of the Disney classic as physical theatre “in the round” was as ambitious as it was brilliant. Energetic and superbly executed, the show mixed extraordinary physicality, slick choreography and an ensemble performance of staggering professionalism.
We are blessed with a uniquely talented group of young actors at St Edmund’s. Mark Sell’s direction enabled them to showcase their incredible range of individual abilities without ever losing the sense that this it was essentially an ensemble production. The commitment and focus of the cast was faultless as they motored through a complex and challenging show. They acted, danced, sung and delivered original physical comedy to a remarkably high standard. And the level never dropped, not for a moment.
The visual impact was amazing: clever staging (and no doubt intensive rehearsal) delivered fluid movement, seamless transitions and a spectacular range of facial expressions. Lisa Jayn Gordon’s choreography, as always, was highly imaginative and demanding and underpinned some thumpingly good ensemble performances. A very polished Sykes script crackled with wit and invention. It was also “a little bit naughty” – don’t think I didn’t notice! For once Mr Swatman wasn’t naughty but his musical direction was as masterly as ever. And hats off to Marie Florence for her amazing costume designs: imagining (fragrant) “Vagrant Mick” as a Jack Sparrow-Miami Vice mash-up was inspired.
To single out individual performances from such a talented and integrated company almost seems to be missing the point. However, Rebecca Roberts was breathtakingly brilliant as Pinnochio, giving us comedy, sensitivity, vocal power and control with effortless ease. “Am I an actor now?” she asks at one point. Absolutely. Timon Staehler gave an assured and witty interpretation of Jiminy Cricket and can now add Swegway driving to his remarkable array of talents. Milly Sherwin as Vagrant Mick scared the living daylights out of me with her ferocious characterization and vocal chord ripping aggression. I LOVED Seb Coleman and Ellie Walker-Reid as the comedy double act of Frederick the Fox and Cuthbert the Cat; their synchronicity and comic timing was outstanding. Nic Yanni gave us convincing and thoughtful portrayal of Gepetto and Isabelle Matharu’s “When you wish upon a star” showcased her extraordinary singing voice perfectly. Sophie Hopkin’s booming, exuberant Vermicelli was also very memorable, not least for sporting a comedy belly of Deputy Head proportions.
Drawing all these elements together must have been a massive challenge and I salute Aimee Walker-Reid’s sterling work as the show’s producer: a triumphant swansong. Finally, my congratulations go to Mr Sell, the puppet master himself, for giving us a fantastic way to end the school year.
When reviewing a show this good, it’s also hard to know how to finish. So I’ll leave the cast and crew with just one word. “Respect”.
Ed O’Connor, Deputy Head