Review: Grandad Anansi, Half Moon Theatre 

Bright sunshine fills the Half Moon Theatre as Grandad Anansi, a Half Moon and Z-arts co-production written by Elayne Ogbeta, comes to the stage. This playful production for ages 4-9 offers a cheerful taste of Jamaican culture through storytelling, song and dance.

From the moment the audience enter the auditorium Marcus Hercules, playing Grandad, has them engaged with his cheeky, chipper performance. He has a comfortable swagger and isn’t a stereotype of an old man at all, but a youthful soul you can’t help but like. Grandad not only waters his plants but waters the children with his garden spray, to shrieks of excited laughter, and they are quickly excited to hear his story. Speaking with a broad Jamaican lilt, Hercules brings a beautifully authentic tone to the piece as he talks to his plants, all of whom have names – Hyacinth, Susan, Lily and Hope – and telling of how they remind him of his homeland, Jamaica. Grandad reveals he has news he needs to tell his granddaughter Abi (played by Chardae Phillips) that he’s been putting off doing because it might upset her.

Abi and Grandad share time together in his garden. He teaches her to plant seeds and nurture the plants, telling how it makes him nostalgic for his life in Jamaica before he came to live in Britain many years ago. He also entertains her with stories of Anansi the Spider, a Jamaican folk hero and clever trickster, which helps her to understand her Granddad’s background, seeing him in a similar light. 

Hercules and Phillips have a natural rapport that makes for a relatable intergenerational family relationship. It feels like the characters care about each other as the story gently explores ideas of loss, anxiety, courage and resilience. Phillips plays the child appealingly believably; we empathise with Abi’s confusion, her determination to find out what’s going on, and her resilience to unexpected change.

There’s a real joy to the narrative, as it animatedly reveals colourful details about life in Jamaica, describing foods, the vibrant marketplace and the bright weather, and also reflecting an oral tradition of storytelling. The picture is completed through dance and upbeat songs by Tayo Akinbode that conjure the warmth of the Caribbean and Jamaican culture. Sorcha Corcoran‘s colourful set design meanwhile perfectly complements the playfulness of the action, with bright colours and opportunity for fun moments, popping in and out of Granddad’s shed and leaning over its stable door.

This is a show structured with opportunity for questions and exploration – about the Windrush generation, the history of the slave trade, Caribbean heritage and culture, and about coping with change. It’s performed by responsive, appealing actors and is full of energy, warmth, friendship and positivity that equips its young audience to address adversity with courage – dancing through the rain.

Written by Elayne Ogbeta
Directed by Chris Yarnell
Design by Sorcha Corcoran
Sound Design and Composed by Tayo Akinbode

Grandad Anansi is aimed at ages 4-9 years and plays at Half Moon Theatre until Sunday 9 November, before transferring to Polka Theatre from  Wednesday 12 to Sunday 16 November.