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Presented by Pin the Tale
Part of Imagine Watford 2013
Lyric Hammersmith, Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, Watford Palace Theatre and Latitude Productions
★★★
Pros: This is a fun performance with lots of water and fantastic imagery using umbrellas and movement. The cast are engaging and enthusiastic.
Cons: It appears to be aimed at very young children and there isn’t enough to keep the whole family interested as it drags a little in places. We were lucky it was a rare, warm afternoon as we got a little wet!
Our Verdict: Perfect for children under 8 years, this performance highlights the main stages of the water cycle with imagery and movement that is simple, clever and visually pleasant. The performance could do with a little more action to keep older audiences engaged.
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| Courtesy of Imagine Watford |
“Cloud control diameter check!” and we are off on a 20 minute journey through precipitation, accumulation and evaporation! The water cycle is brought to life through movement, simple language and lots of imagery as a droplet takes a journey from a cloud, via an eagle’s back, a puddle, the ocean and a whale right back to where it all began in the clouds again. Water is present in abundance and we get a little damp as the action spills out into the audience – literally! My children are older than the target audience, but we enjoyed the use of props and the imagery created with the umbrellas – they effortlessly become eagles wings, fish and a whale convincingly. This was really clever and everyone appeared to enjoy the enthusiasm and engaging style of the cast as they flow and weave through the space and the crowd. Some of the sequences were a little long and the performance could do with a little more going on for older audience, however, everyone watching was smiling and the little ones were fully enthralled.
Watford are very lucky to have the fantastic Imagine Watford event right in the pedestrian precinct –my idea of heaven is an afternoon in the sunshine watching a wide variety of street theatre of all different types – I saw music, acrobatics, mime, comedy drama and dance in the short time I was there and its all free! Surrounded by shops, pubs and restaurants there is good reason to spend the day and I will be keeping an eye out for Imagine Watford 2014 to make sure it goes on the calendar for the whole family.
Please feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below!
Splash was part of the Imagine Watford open air festival–various productions 20 – 30 June 2013 For further information go to http://www.imaginewatford.co.uk or contact 01923 235455.
