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Sea shanties, slapstick and saving the seas, superbly imagined in a magical space where the impossible can actually happen!Summary
Rating
Excellent
There’s a gale a’blowing outside as Storm Darragh shakes the seas (and indeed Paddington Station), but descending in to the cosy warmth of the Puppet Theatre Barge, all is well, as we embark on a sailing trip with Captain Sandy to visit a sea monster.
Anyone who knows the Barge will surely agree it is a secret, enchanting place, and it feels particularly so with Christmas approaching, the stage framed with twinkly lights. It’s a space where magic and belief in the impossible happens, starting from when the jaunty music first begins for Captain Sandy and the Sea Monster.
As Melvin the seagull sweeps in, gloriously bringing light into the dark, we find ourselves in the village of Rocky Snore. Here fisherfolk Captain Sandy, Gill and Roddy are perplexed, finding there are no longer enough fish in the sea for them to make a living. Where have they all gone? Who’s to blame? It’s clearly not them. Rumour has it there’s a sea monster eating ALL the fish, so Sandy sets out to have a stern word with them – only to realise human behaviours have more than a little to do with the problem. This is a lovely story for little ones, with funny characters, hilarious slapstick and, woven throughout, some lightly challenging thinking (that never outweighs the fun) about how we look after our environment, including topics such as overfishing, plastic pollution and friendship.
Let’s talk about the puppets… They are breathtakingly gorgeous, their colours popping vibrantly from the darkness, and with no visible puppeteers it’s soon easy to believe they are in fact self-animated. The characters are funny and relatable as they bicker and banter, calling Sandy ‘Captain Grimy’, being obnoxious to the sea monster, and making things worse with general thoughtlessness before finally realising how humans are responsible for their problem. While Gill and Roddy are dressed in conventional yellow sou’westers, Captain Sandy is, interestingly, played as a woman in what seems to be a sari, placing the tale in a culturally wider context and suggesting perhaps that it’s not just the people you’d expect who are complicit in causing damage: it could be any of us. When the stunning sea monster first appears, its shiny scales glinting in the dark, there’s a shift in the energy in the room, as the children and their families lean in, excitedly anticipating seeing the full beast. And we’re not disappointed. The kind golden dolphin spins and leaps, bringing lively dynamism to the world of Rocky Snore, whilst reminding its inhabitants of what it is that’s important to conserve.
These are exceptional puppeteers, giving fabulously distinct characterisation to the many puppets, whether they be seafarers, sea creatures, bags of rubbish or even beach balls. It is easy to forget there is any human intervention here as the delightful story unfolds – which fits in brilliantly with the dilemma under discussion. It’s as if a space of possibility is created in which the audience can imagine a different, better future.
Throughout there is jolly, upbeat sea-shanty music that has the whole audience clapping along and even joining in (despite not knowing the words) in the case of a small person sitting behind me.
Captain Sandy is an all-round feel good experience, with stunning visuals and incredible performances from the puppeteers and their magnificent puppets. Give the gift of magic this Christmas: take your family along to the Puppet Theatre Barge for a simply wondrous performance they will surely all delight in.
Created by Puppet Barge
Written by Maddie Dai
Captain Sandy and the Sea Monster is aimed at ages 4-10 and runs at Puppet Theatre Barge until Sunday 26 January. Further information and booking details can be found here.
