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A joyous, fun-filled exploration of the seasons that puts magic in the everyday and smiles on children’s faces.Summary
Rating
Excellent
The fabulous Little Bulb return to the Battersea Arts Centre this spring bringing the entire Four Seasons with them in a colourful, joyfully entertaining production for ages 3-7 – or anyone who loves nature and play!
This is an absolutely lovely show, full of colour, silliness, energy and good vibes. Three performers enact the features of the four seasons, creating lots of different characters and using a multitude of carefully selected props to take us on a journey through a changing landscape. It’s inventive, imaginative and downright daft, warmly encouraging the young audience to delight in make believe as they engage with the natural world.
The inclusive, welcoming atmosphere is set even before the show begins as the performers greet the crowd, finding out their names and inviting them to participate in some sheep impersonations, required for later in the show. And everyone is genuinely welcome here, because it’s a relaxed performance in keeping with BAC’s policy of inclusivity.
While we’re all relaxed, one of the actors Vic Llewellyn is less so, because it’s his first time performing in the show! We’re all encouraged to support him, and it works, as he goes on to do a brilliant job. The enthusiastic ensemble, completed by Clare Beresford and Alexander Scott, are a talented team of amazingly funny performers, who make a crazily complex exercise look downright simple. With precision timing they race through multiple costume changes and trace the seasons by inventively transforming props and everyday objects into recognisable objects and creatures; something that requires a seriously strict sequence of events to make the magic happen. It’s hilarious and utterly inspiring as they imagine things from nature into life using the random objects around them. A bin lid becomes the sun; a car wash mitt becomes a caterpillar, cocooned in fabric, before emerging as a butterfly and flying off; a tarpaulin sheet and some sticks are the basis of a snowman who exquisitely melts into the floor, leaving us all open-mouthed! And excitingly, the simple black box space is the perfect background for a flurry of snowflakes, bringing audible gasps from the audience.
The youngsters quickly become excited and keen to get involved, shouting out and guessing the creatures being performed. It’s a fabulous opportunity to plant seeds of creativity and grow their imaginative skills. There are a few genuinely funny jokes for the adults (the pricing of a ’99’ is so astute!), and one poor dad is roped in to be rounded up by Newbie the sheepdog and win the sheepdog trials. Even the puppy’s story plays an important part of the experience, as it weaves a subtle thread throughout; a gentle reminder of time passing as the seasons cycle. It’s quite poignant, even if the dog is actually a middle aged man with gloves for ears…
Rarely do you come across such an enthusiastic, exuberantly fun-filled show, with amazing imagination and fabulous physicality – all underscored with the inspiring music of Verdi. It’s the perfect treat not only for the holidays, but at any time of year.
Conceived and created by Little Bulb
Written and devised by Clare Beresford, Dominic Conway, Amy Harris, Hanora Kamen, Vic Llewellyn, Alexander Scott and Shamira Turner.
Performed by Clare Beresford, Vic Llewellyn and Alexander Scott.
Directed by Alexander Scott.
Designed in collaboration with Kirsty Harris, with trees by Jamie Misselbrook.
Illustrations by Louise Boulter.
Four Seasons is aimed at ages 3-7 and runs at Battersea Arts Centre until Saturday 6 April.
Further information and booking can be found here.
