Theatre / Reviews
Review: Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain, The Lantern
A primary school teacher held her head in her hands as once again in the first few minutes of Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain, most of her pupils were on their hands and knees helping Tim scrub the deck of a large steamer – or a small stage in the middle of The Lantern if we’re being pedantic.
This same teacher by the end of the show had loosened up to such an extent that she was excitedly taking photographs of more than a dozen of her children dancing on board the ship with the four actors as they enthusiastically took up the offer to become part of the performance.
The show’s merriment and vitality also caused my own two-year-old daughter to proclaim herself as a sailor just like Tim when she woke up the morning afterwards.
Bristol Old Vic’s Christmas production for its youngest audiences is always a firm festive favourite, and this year is no different other than the fact that due to the studio theatre’s redevelopment we find ourselves in the Colston Hall, welcomed to The Lantern by Tim (the effervescent Jesse Meadows) sailing the seven seas from the safety of his bath tub.
This is a vivid treat for the imagination, with a simple set and props used for multiple purposes including a sail made from an umbrella and an audience member’s jacket (out of which fell packets of sweets during Thursday afternoon’s performance for extra authenticity).
We follow Tim as he stows away and becomes a sailor, on his adventures meeting the rest of the crew and the heroic captain, as well as a school of colourful jellyfish in a particularly memorable moment.
As well as scrubbing the decks, there are plenty of other opportunities for the young ones to join in with proceedings, from saluting to singing a few lines of the sailors’ song, with all of the music here played live by the cast members of the Wardrobe Ensemble, who skilfully feed off the captivated audience – ready at any moment to invade the stage.
Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain is at The Lantern until January 8. For tickets and more information, visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk/littletim.html
Photos by Jack Offord