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Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom stage adaptation on at The Pleasance, London
Tall Stories have had great success with their stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s masterpiece The Gruffalo. Now they’ve turned their attention to that team’s Room on the Broom. It’s not as focused or funny as The Gruffalo,but it’s a very serviceable piece of children’s theatre.
The cast of four play a witch and the puppet animals who want to cadge a ride from her. A lot of the crowd know exactly where the tale is going: “Dragon!” cry out some young punters just before the Welsh dragon appears in the clouds. But Olivia Jacobs’s production boasts good comic turns, especially from a Southern frog and a camp green bird. The big addition is the fine songs, culminating in a Seventies rock finale.
(Times Online)
Box office: 020-7609 1800, to Jan 3
Born in 1948, Julia Donaldson was born and raised in North London.A writer of songs for children’s BBC television, her first publication ‘A Squash and a Squeeze’ in 1993 was as a direct result of her song writing abilities with this indeed originally beginning life as one of Donaldson’s musical compositions. This first book was illustrated by Axel Scheffler and was set to be the beginning of a long and fruitful working relationship and friendship. Taking inspiration from diverse themes such as Chinese folklore (The Gruffalo) and from her own natural ability with rhyme and language Donaldson has revealed a true affinity with children and their fantastical view of the world around them.
Posted: December 18th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Julia Donaldson
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