Malvern Festival Theatre
BILL KENWRIGHT PRODUCTIONS
George Bernard Shaw reminded us that, “We don’t stop playing
because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing” and with this in
mind, a visit to Malvern Theatre this week is guaranteed to reverse the aging
process.
Michael Morpurgo, author of the award winning War House,
brings another of his stories to the stage with Daniel Buckroyd’s adaptation of
Butterfly Lion. It tells the story of Bertie, who rescues and raises a white
lion cub, while living in African, until they are separated when Bertie is sent
to an English boarding school and the lion is sold to a circus. The young boy
vows to find him one day but this seems increasingly less likely when he is
drafted to the French frontline during the Great War.
The wonderful Gwen Taylor, as warming and comforting as you
would wish any grandmother to be, shares the bulk of the storytelling with
Lloyd Notice, a gentle giant with a booming voice. Adam Buchanan, embraces the
duel roles of Michael and Bertie, with gusto and a focus that never falters. His
skills as a puppeteer are exemplified when he rescues the lion cub and the
helpless creature is brought to life before our very eyes. This is a real
ensemble piece though and the remaining cast commit entirely to delivering the
magic offered by this charming tale. Tracy Bargate, Sam Clark, Christopher
Hogben and Sydney K Smith give notable performances, as do Michael Palmer and
Gina Isaac who perfectly present Bertie’s parents.
This production is a visual and auditory feast. Superbly
directed by Buckroyd and Matthew Cullum, narration fluidly glides in and out of
action as the characters continually transform and guide us on our enchanting journey around the world.
A haunting score by Carlton Edwards, combined with the design skills of Juliet
Shillingford, Mark Dymock, Adam P McCready and Sue Pyecroft, with set,
lighting, sound and puppets respectively make this an absolute must see. This
is a show that is good for the soul.
