Review: Flotsam, Half Moon Theatre

David Wiesner’s gorgeous picture book Flotsam is totally without text. Instead, it leans into visual interpretation, telling its story wordlessly. It’s an ideal base from which to explore further sensory response, and OperaUpClose do that beautifully in this stage adaptation at Half Moon Theatre.

The space is transformed into an evocative seaside setting, with Nikki Charlesworth’s beautifully colourful design capturing all the detail of the coast perfectly. A young audience (ages 2-5) and their carers are initially greeted by three musicians (Meera Maharaj, Benjamin Saffir and Phil Wilcox), who walk amongst them, sharing the sounds of rustic wind-catchers hung with shells, driftwood and other materials found at the beach, encouraging the young people to interact. As the show begins, the trio play lively music using double bass, accordion, and flute, and the room comes joyfully alive. It’s a fabulous opportunity for the very young to encounter really quality live music, perhaps for the first time.

Two further actors arrive to perform the narrative, which tells of a child called Pip (Susie Buckle) who, when at the beach with his mum (Gabriella Liandu), finds a camera with a roll of film in. He has it printed, discovering images of children from the past who have played in a similar way and these disclose the stories of people who are reassuringly just like him.

There’s much to enjoy here. Buckle and Liandu make a lovely duo, with Buckle’s charming interpretation of a child satisfyingly avoiding the hazard of being cartoon. They work brilliantly with the trio of musicians to engage the audience in an exciting auditory adventure, enhanced with Charlesworth’s excellent props and objects, which celebrate imagination and tie it into participatory singing.

Kerry Andrews’ composition and libretto are beautifully expressive and varied, inviting the audience to imagine a changing environment through shifting sound and verbal description of the changing waves and weather. The performers deliver the score exquisitely, their tones operatic and vibrantly resonant, which adds to the sensory richness of the story. In addition, Makaton signing (overseen by Helen Brew) is used to further extend the breadth of the interplay with the audience. 

Some markers in the storytelling could be a little clearer. The book of photos is only introduced very briefly before the scenes become quite fantastical as Pip explores them, and it’s not entirely obvious why we’re suddenly meeting such unusual creatures and objects, nor encountering the pictures of children from times gone by. These are also quite hard to see from the back of the auditorium. And even before all this, it’s not apparent why it is a problem that Pip isn’t playing with other children, as he’s clearly enjoying himself. There are additionally some jokes about his mum being old which sadly play into ageism and really aren’t necessary. 

Flotsam does end with some wonderful audience interaction and an intergenerational singalong for everyone to enjoy. It is a beautifully diverse and rich experience that invites families to enjoy music and imagination in a refreshing variety of ways, and in particular is a really lovely way for youngsters to encounter the joys of opera for the first time.

Produced by OperaUpClose
Composer and Librettist: Kerry Andrews
Director: Flora McIntosh
Designer: Nikki Charlesworth
Lighting design: Claire Childs
Assistant director: Rori Endersby
Music director: Phil Wilcox
Makaton Specialist:  Helen Brew
Costume Supervisor: Robin Simon
Production Manager: Chloe Stally-Gibson
Technical Stage Manager: Chuck SJ
Set Build: Paul Grace

Flotsam is aimed at ages 2-5 years and continues its tour at a variety of venues across England.