Review by: Paul Towers, 05 July 2018
David Walliams’ Awful Auntie – adapted by Neal Foster
A Birmingham Stage Company production
DeMontfort Hall 5 – 8th July 2018
“a sure fire winner for the young and young at heart.”
David Walliams, he of Britain’s Got Talent and Little
Britain, has garnered a reputation as a successful writer of children’s books.
Several, of course, have already been adapted for the stage and Awful Auntie is
the latest and probably won’t be the last.
As is customary for a Walliams show this is a battle of evil
adult against spunky child. In this case Stella’s evil Aunt Alberta is plotting to take possession of Saxby Hall, burn
it down and create an owl museum, an Owlseum, if you will.
Awful Auntie borrows elements from several popular children’s
books; Harry Potter and Roald Dahl to start with. This is not to denigrate the
book or the show but to acknowledge its antecedents.
While the first half is a little wordy as the scene is set,
the second half packs loads of magic and stunts in as Stella turns the tables
on Aunt Alberta with the help of Soot, the friendly ghost.
Of course Timothy Speyer as Aunt Alberta, channelling both
Walliams himself and Matilda’s Miss Trunchbull, has great fun stealing the
show. As Stella, Georgina Leonidas (herself a former cast member of the Harry
Potter films as Katie Bell) discharges herself well flying around the stage
avoiding her Aunt and keeping up with Soot. Soot, the friendly ghost, is played
by Ashley Cousins as a cross between Frank Spencer and Joe Pasquale climbing
all over the set in an assured way as he tries to keep Stella out of trouble.
The final cast member is Gibbon the butler, played with eccentric charm by
Richard James and very reminiscent of David Jason’s doddery old timer. But of
course we can’t forget Wagner. Not the composer but a huge owl expertly
puppeted by Roberta Bellekorn who saves the day in several ways.
The set was very creatively designed by Jacqueline Trousdale
and consisted of four towers which revolved and moved around the stage by
remote control to create rooms within Saxby Hall including the cellar.
With lots of smut
for the children and a few jokes for the adults this is a sure fire winner for
the young and young at heart.
Awful Auntie is on at DeMontfort Hall until Sunday with tickets
available on most performances.
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