His Dark Media
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SherlockChronicles.orgSouthwark News reports: Right, I've got the Christmas entertainment sorted for you. Take your kids (all ages) to see The Scarecrow and his Servant. It is truly magical. And it is written by Philip Pullman, he of His Dark Materials.
It was a frantic, cold Friday night that we attended the theatre beneath London Bridge Station. On Tooley Street all the office bods were off to parties, oblivious to the secret nether world that exists beneath their very noses.
As we walked into the theatre we were met with a multitude of old mineral water bottles hanging from the ceiling. Then CRASH, BANG, WALLOP! A clap of thunder, helicopters, search lights, soldiers marching! Jack runs into a dark field, afraid he'll get caught.
The scarecrow in the field speaks -he's come to life! He's a bit posh panto-dame, a bit C3PO kind of a scarecrow; the kids in the audience were entranced by him.
Once Jack gets over the shock of a talking scarecrow who has a turnip for a head and a broomstick for a backbone he embarks on a journey with him. Scarecrow wants to visit Spring Valley, a wonderful place full of streams, wells and castles with lots of fresh air. Poor old Jack has no family, no friends and no home, so he has nothing to lose by going. New lands, strange people, mad birds, danger and song & dance await him.
Did I mention strange people? How about a scary-fairy-book old crone with a Tesco plastic bag for a hat? There's been some great invention here recycling stuff; it gets the kids seeing rubbish as a creative material. There's tricorn hats made from newspaper, dresses from plastic carrier bags and medals from Coca Cola tins. In fact, there is a very serious message woven into this tale but more about that later.
The cast is a dream: I have seen both Mark Leipacher and Oliver Senton at the Union and they are both fine comic actors. Senton plays loads of characters ranging from Signor Rigatelli, a cockney 'Italian' theatre manager to a farmer who is a bit, ummm, you know. You'll have to go and see it to find out why he's er, you know, ummm…
Scarecrow falls in love with the farmer's broomstick and they have a bit of a barn dance where the water bottles light up and there is a disco glitter ball spinning around. Scarecrow is so happy he feels like an onion (I'm not on drugs, really).
But, tragedy the broom runs off with a rake, so Jack and Scarecrow go to sea, off to war and off to the theatre. Then there is the panto horse and Bernard the Blackbird. The vultures, wise old birds that they are, subtly give the kids a talk about global warming and discarding rubbish. After all, if there are weedkiller factories polluting the air and messing up the rivers, well, Spring Valley won't be that pleasant place any more.
One little boy in the audience summed it all up; Oliver Senton had him in fits, he sang along to the music and burst into tears when he thought his scarecrow had died, only to rally round when he saw the turnip-head dancing again. And that really was magical… Merry Christmas!
Southwark Playhouse, Shipwright Yard (Corner of Tooley St. & Bermondsey St.) SE1 2TF
December 10th 2008 - January 10th 2009,
Running time: 120 min. (incl. interval)
Tel: 020 7407 0234
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