JUST SO

CATS Youth Theatre production cast of 36 take on Rudyard Kipling’s Just So stories adapted by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The story takes us on a journey narrated by the Eldest Magician about how the animals stop Pau Amma the crab. For such an old story director Louise Cohen focuses on a very contemporary style with costume, choreography and lighting.

 A composite set that allows for the large cast, raised at the back to represent mountain pathways and used for entrances and exits with hidden hatches. A large chest stage right with orange brolly and a pile of books on the floor. Strips of material are lowered down to give the effect of the jungle in muted colours - this worked really well as did the animals suitcases.  The orange brolly represented at the beginning is then used to create Pau Amma the crab as later on in the story he is formed by a number of orange umbrellas put together held by the cast and two large claws to make him effectively huge. Set Design by Louise Cohen, Alan Dodd and Simon White. Set Artists and Construction Simon White and Drew Hogben. Also on Set Construction - Dave Matthew, Alan Dodd and Ryan Prescott. Stage Manager Drew Hogben. Lighting has two horizontal banks strip light stage left and right which gave a very atmospheric look to some scenes with the blue and orange wash. Lighting was strong mostly but just some scenes I could not see who was talking as it was a little dark. It may have just been where I was sat.  Lighting and Sound Design Alan Dodd, Louise Cohen and Emily Cohen. Lighting and Sound Operation was Louise Cohen, Alan Dodd and Emily Cohen. Follow Spot Wendie Dodds and Janice White. Choreographer was Emily Cohen and the movement was very much in keeping with the animals characteristic and contemporary influence of the repeated motifs was used with added tap number thrown in too. Louise Cohen was Musical Director with help from Guest Conductor David Wilson, Jenny Pearce and live orchestra.

Louise Cohen’s production then took us on the journey of the animals meeting up and working together to sort out the problem of the crab. The Ensemble worked really well to support this story and at some time or another the main cast were integrated into the ensemble seamlessly. The ensemble kept their animal characteristics. Great work.

The stories are then told in an allegorical way of animals portrayed with human characteristics. Fantasy stories presented in a factual way so as to appear Just So!

Ethan Browne plays The Eldest Magician who acts a narrator throughout the show helping the animals. He appears through a hatch as if from nowhere and disappears at the end from whence he came. Ethan gave a smooth performance as the narrator and I really got the feeling that the audience were the best beloved. His interaction with the other characters and almost fatherly figure came across well.

Ava Deveney played Dingo Dog all in yellow and very fast when she wasn’t sleeping. Lauren Quigley played the kangaroo with enormous legs much to her surprise, very funny. Nathan Dodds took on the role of Rhino good strong voice and character.

Eve Bolton played Zebra working well with Inona Budis as Giraffe the duo very much the clubbing girls who incidentally could also tap. Working well together.

Jake Little gave us Parsee Man who loves to cook but lives alone on the island with his stove and no one to cook for. He worked well with his stove, yes! His stove was a character. Cooking Stove was played by Lewis Cunliffe and having that on your cv would be a talking point for sure. Lewis was very funny and loved the coal dropping scene and Parsee having to clean up. Well played.

Ethan Sheppard as Leopard and Tom Clancy as Jaguar were a great duo almost like part of the Brat Pack (they will be too young maybe to know who they were). They were slick and predatory just as they should be. The Chase with Giraffe and Zebra and We Want To Take The Ladies Out were great.

The Colourful Kolokolo Bird was played by Amy Costello who is the reluctant helper on this journey and she cannot fly. Wait A Bit was just lovely and I thought the scene when she gets the courage to fly was done well with the help of the cast. The lighting helped and worked well here too. Last but not least is Elephant Child played by Harry Fenwick, who I thought had a lovely innocence about his character and you could see him growing on his journey to acquiring his trunk. He worked well with the other characters and There’s No Harm with The Eldest Magician and Does The Moment Ever Come were a highlight. Excellent work.

CATS Youth Theatre once again push boundaries and give experiences to youth members of different genre of shows. The youth are the future of Bolton and it’s in safe hands at CATS. Thank you for the invite and hospitality from my guest Kathryn and I.

Liz Hume-Dawson

D5

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.