Audience was taken to a land of make-believe (From Ledbury Reporter)

Audience was taken to a land of make-believe

9:40am Tuesday 13th March 2012 in Reviews

Swallows and Amazons

Malvern Theatres

SWALLOWS and Amazons amazed with its ingenious improvisation and, with imagination from the audience, we were transported to an imaginary land and amazing adventures.

It was a fast-moving show, supported throughout by musicians who got involved in the action also – instrumental: which provided a quirky backdrop of atmosphere or sound effects (horrible low scraping of a cello during a storm while the children were on the lake); and singing – solos or ensembles, often quite complex and intermingling with the action.

The Swallows are a group of children, the oldest calling himself Captain John Walker.

They set sail to Wildcat Island and on arrival they are faced with two pirates, the Amazons, and from then on adventures are thrust upon them as they face a violent storm.

They get blamed for damaging Flint’s boat (the constabulary arrives), cormorants, in the form of black cloth on poles, frighten them, there is a rainbow coloured parrot, – and much, much more.

It is all very entertaining especially the eventual showdown between the Swallows and the Amazons, and Flint.

Foam rubber ammunition gets the audience participating too.

Choreography is extremely clever, always seeming to be spur of the moment.

JILL HOPKINS