THE BUTTERFLY LION

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.