Children love goblins

Press, 8 May 1980, Page 6

Children love goblins

By

HOWARD McNAUGHTON

“The Incredible Vanishing,” by Denise Coffey. Directed by Shirley Caddick for the Canterbury Children’s Theatre, Repertory Theatre, May 7 to 17. Running time: 7 p.m. to 8.45 p.m. “You have three minutes in which to think of a story to make me laugh. In the meantime, I think I’ll go and hit some children while I’m waiting.” With these words. Her Majesty the Monarch of the Drains (Sara Jones) strides into the front stalls for what must be one of the most remarkable experiments in audience participation in theatre. Of course. Her Marshesty is not the evil goblin that she appears, and her excursion into the auditorium just gives children the chance to observe at close quarters that she is a convivial soul at heart. “ Moreover, her insistence on a story to make her laugh obviously seems absurd to an audience which has fre-

quently hooted with laughter at the antics of the gobiins who defy the Christchurch civic -authorities from the vantage point of the drainage and postage system (the close interrelation of which explains a lot of mysteries not raised in the play).

“The Incredible Vanishling” originated at London’s Young Vic Theatre, and has been extensively (and hilariously) localised for this production. The first act set is a splendid portrayal of Cathedral Square, complete with cathedral, post office, and fruit stall. From this location, 352 children are missing, as well as an undisclosed quantity of fruit. However, the kidnapping goblins overreach themselves when they disappear into a pillar box with a meter maid (Juliet Dowling), and detection is close on their heels in the form of a policeman (Judd Millner) and the barrow boy (Peter Sadler). I

In the second act, we find ourselves in the slimy subsoil of the Square, where the goblins revel among murky

silhouetted roots of trees and fungoid growths. The scene is haunting but not horrific, and the design of both set (lan McDonald) and costumes (Peggy Grant) sustains a good level of dramatic tension.

Shirley Caddick's direction is adroit both in terms of holding her audience and in preserving a balance of performance interest. Bob Britten’s gruff voice gets just enough ferocity into the chief male goblin, and Terry Toner’s elephantine deportment makes for some impactful closing episodes; on the other hand. Diane Homer and Alison Malkin give the female marsh goblins an impishness that keeps their antics lively.

This is an excellent children’s show, modern in style and with adequate entertainment for adults. Seeing the first act from the back of the theatre left me feeling that some voices were slightly lacking in bodv, but the arriival of Sara Jones gave an obvious lead to the whole cast, and the second act was well projected, as well as colourful and fast-moving.