Captain Crab’s Treasure

It is some years since I last attended a Children's Theatre production presented by STAC, having previously visited with a then very young family. Over the decades, generations of parents and grandparents have introduced their children to these productions, testament to the success of Children's Theatre in both Worcester and now Malvern. The concept dates back to 1969, when the late René Chester established what has become a much-loved institution.

This was, however, the first time that NODA has attended one of these productions, and I was delighted to do so, particularly as it was hoped the performance would take place outdoors. Thanks to the heat wave this took place in the lovely setting of Priory Park.

The Children's Theatre format remains delightfully simple – a production of around 45 minutes aimed at children from approximately three years of age upwards. It provides many youngsters with their first experience of live theatre and traditionally takes the form of a pantomime-style adventure, often with an underlying message for its young audience.

As audience members arrived, they were handed the traditional Children's Theatre song sheet. This not only listed the cast but, more importantly, included the words for the audience participation songs. I have a feeling that the format has remained largely unchanged over the years, with many of the songs still set to familiar tunes. It is a wonderful example of the saying, "If it isn't broken, don't fix it."

I was particularly pleased to see Frank Welbourne listed amongst the production team responsible for props. Frank has been involved with Children's Theatre since the 1970s and has become one of the custodians of this remarkable tradition. Although I understand he was attending the afternoon performance, I was sorry to miss the opportunity to see him at the morning performance.

The setting was simple but entirely appropriate: a backdrop depicting a deserted island, complemented by a blow-up palm tree, treasure chest, skull and crossbones, and, of course, a treasure map. Before the production began, Ellie Scanlan, seated on the lawn, provided a delightful musical scene-setter while we also enjoyed the pre-show antics of Jack, played by Kate Moore, and his Mum, portrayed by Evan Peach. Jake perfectly captured the traditional "silly billy" pantomime character, while Mum embraced all the characteristics of the classic pantomime dame.

Director Duncan Barrell, who also appeared as a pirate, welcomed everyone by explaining that we were on a volcanic island. It was an inspired introduction, especially as the audience looked beyond the performance space to the magnificent Malvern Hills on a glorious summer morning.

Audience participation lies at the very heart of Children's Theatre, and this began from the opening moments. Warnings that a pirate was approaching wanting to steal the treasure map were enthusiastically shouted out by the young audience. Equally entertaining were the suggestions about how to recognise a pirate, with cries of "a beard", "an eye patch", "a wooden leg", "a hat" and even "ugly!" ringing out around the lawned area.

Kate Moore and Evan Peach both delivered engaging performances, embracing every pantomime convention while encouraging the children to participate throughout. They also coped admirably with the inevitable spontaneous comments from younger audience members and the occasional child wandering into the acting area – all very much part of the charm of Children's Theatre.

There was great excitement when the method of capturing the pirate was finally revealed. Rather than using Annette, the answer lay in the strategically positioned large fishing net, a moment that generated plenty of laughter.

Janet Bright appeared as Friday, portrayed as a rather bewildered bank manager who simply wanted to return home rather than encounter the villain of the story. Janet looked splendid in a Victorian-style bathing costume, complete with an amusing swimming cap that bore more than a passing resemblance to a bowler hat. Her comic timing and characterisation were thoroughly enjoyable.

A large fir tree within the grounds also became an unexpected but highly effective piece of scenery, providing numerous opportunities for the cast to hide and search for one another.

The villain of the piece – although not especially frightening – was Short John Gold, played by Gemma Matthews. Yes, before you ask, we were assured that she was indeed related to Long John Silver! Gemma wisely avoided making her pirate too intimidating for the younger audience, striking exactly the right balance between mischievous rogue and pantomime baddie. One of the biggest laughs came when she revealed a fear of parrots, only for Mum to misunderstand and think she had said carrots, creating another wonderful moment of audience interaction.

This production demonstrated exactly why Children's Theatre has remained so successful for more than half a century. It introduces young audiences to the magic of live performance in an environment where laughter, participation and imagination are encouraged from the outset. Many of today's adult theatregoers will have taken their first theatrical steps at a Children's Theatre performance, and it is heartening to see that tradition continuing for future generations.

My congratulations go to Duncan Barrell, his cast and everyone involved behind the scenes. Long may Children's Theatre continue to inspire future generations with a lifelong love of live theatre.

Andy Brown, Regional Councillor NODA West Midlands

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