Dunstan Playhouse. 31 Dec 2013
This is how it should be done. No corners are cut in this touring production of the darling little mouse dancer's story.
Angelina Ballerina is one of the superstars of little girl world with scores of books and a rather good British television series featuring the voice of Judi Dench as Angelina's mum. But Angelina is a mouse and the temptation in delivering her live to the stage would be, and has been, to mouse her up with a big animal character head. In this show, written and directed by Miranda Larson, Angelina's mousiness extends only to tail and a dainty mouse headpiece. Thus, she truly comes alive on stage and I didn't hear a single child ask where the big mouse head was.
Larson has treated children with respect in this show. It opens with the sound of an orchestra tuning up and then there is a proper overture. The curtain rises on Angelina and her classmates at the Camembert Academy in Chipping Cheddar, England. That there are hip-hopping boys in the class lends boy cred - evidenced by the number of boys at the opening performance - and there's a bit of classic old boys-versus-girls shtick as the show rolls along.
This is a proper musical. It has wonderful, classy music composed by Barrie Bignold. It has terrific, lively and highly varied choreography devised by Matthew Cole and interesting, vibrant costumes from Isla Shaw who also designed the very versatile sets. The six performers have song and dance skills of West End standard and their rodent personalities shine through.
The Katharine Holabird narrative tells of the Camembert Academy winning a chance to appear in its pupils' favourite television program, Dancing With Mice. To this end, the mouse dancers must create their own dance production. Angelina is appointed Dance Captain and not only has she to try to devise a dance but also to manage her fellow students, all of whom have their own ideas about what should be featured in the show. This gives scope for lots of fun and games and some audience participation. The children would probably have liked a bit more of the latter.
A special highlight is the cameo appearance of a troupe of little local ballet students from Rebecca Mason's Dance Studio. They are little darlings, one of them quite tiny, two of them boys. It's another nice element in a well-devised, well-produced and well-performed touring holiday show. In its genre, it's up there in the five star department.
Samela Harris
When: Closed
Where: Dunstan Playhouse
Bookings: Closed
