Emil and the Detectives

Thank you for the invitation to attend Queen’s Hall Theatre Club’s production of Emil and the Detectives as maternity cover for Alex Gilmartin who has just commenced her maternity leave from her NODA duties. It was a pleasure to see this charming and well-loved story brought to life with such warmth, energy and commitment. Carl Miller’s adaptation of Erich Kästner’s novel offers a clear, engaging narrative, and the company embraced its sense of adventure, friendship and youthful determination with confidence.  It’s a charming and well known original story based in 1929 Germany, where Emil is sent by his mother to Berlin with 140 marks which she has taken months to save, on a train where he is sadly robbed by Mr Snow.  The story follows his journey to follow Snow and recover his money to deliver to his grandmother thanks to the help of detectives in the guise of local children.

The production had a pleasing simplicity which served the story very well. The set was straightforward and uncluttered, allowing the action to move at a good pace and ensuring that the focus remained firmly on the characters and the storytelling. This was a sensible approach for a piece that depends on imagination, movement and ensemble work, and it gave the young cast space to create the bustling world of the city and the excitement of the investigation.

There were some very strong performances from the youth cast, who carried the central detective element of the play with assurance. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and they worked well together as a team, giving the audience a clear sense of camaraderie and purpose. The young performers showed good discipline, focus and confidence, and their collective energy helped to drive the story forward. It was particularly encouraging to see such commitment to character and ensemble interaction from the younger members of the company.  Emil played by Liam Mather-Pendy played the leading role confidently and spoke clearly, with Toots played by Owen Fabricus playing his role with confidence and flair.  Pony the Hat played by Grace Batey was a suitably feisty addition on stage, with Tuesday played by Katie Richardson being a charming addition to the detectives.  Professor played by George Ferguson had excellent comic timing and delivery supported by Petzold being a calm addition to the story.

The adult members of the cast provided solid support and helped to frame the action effectively. Their presence gave balance to the production, and they complemented the youth cast without overpowering them. This allowed the young detectives to remain at the heart of the piece, which felt absolutely right for the story. The interaction between the generations on stage was natural and supportive, reflecting the collaborative spirit of the company. Claire North-Lewis played a very charismatic Mis Wirth/Mrs Tuesday and Emil’s mother Ida played by Abbie Faraday was convincing and sincere in her maternal depiction.  Mr Snow was an interesting charismatic villain and perfect for a children’s detective story, played wonderfully by Kevin Jones.

The large supporting cast, far too many to name each in turn, did a sterling job in bringing this much loved children’s story to life on stage.  Well done to you all! Password Emil!

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