Monkey! - Baldon Players

MONKEY - the Junior Baldon Players play for March  07

This ambitious production of a far-eastern tale succeeded in giving the audience a magical delight and insight into the myth and history of eastern lands, by thirty performers , aged 7-16, in a multitude of scenes.

The mark of the professional choreographer, Lizie Giraudeau, together with the expertise of the other director, Jane George and stage-manager, Colin George, brought a vitality and excitement to the play in, an ever moving kaleidoscope, to which all the children responded well. Not one wooden performance. Clever innovation of scaffolding eased the movement of numbers and scenes and gave the monkeys, ( Ellis Sargeant, Rebecca Hitchcox, Sam George) the protagonists of the play, room for their expressiveness, speed and agility. Particular delights were the delicate movements and grace of the dancers, the athletic activity  in the fights and storm and even a little contemporary humour  with the heavenly mobiles in the emperor's palace. The costumes were splendid.  Abi Cullen deserves a special mention for her clear diction and assured performance as the Buddha and Jess Clarke-Jones as Tripitaka gave presence and clarity to the role of the monk. The theatre programme, informative and attractive, was great value and worth keeping.

It is a pity that this review has to be published after the play has finished. To future playgoers of the shows of the Baldon Players, Junior and Senior, - just buy a ticket and then the jewels of performance that they can produce will never be missed!

Sonia Hewitt