Snoods’ devious plot

Press, 9 May 1984, Page 8

Snoods’ devious plot

“Arabella and the Vanishing Cream Plot” by Micbelanne Forster, directed by Alison Quigan for the Court Theatre. May 8 to May 19. Running time: 11 a.m. to 11.45 a.m. Reviewed by Gerrit Bahlman. The Snood family have a devious plot in mind. To be more accurate, Mother Snood has. Father Snood is nowhere in evidence, probably because Mother Snood ate him. Simon Snood, thicker than the walls of the Snood basement, according to Arabella, is set the task of bagging Professor Thurbuck while Mother Snood welcomes him into the house. Unfortunately, simple Simon bags the professor’s daughter instead. Why all this conniving? To get the vanishing cream of course. Have you any idea what sort of goodies you can get if you are invisible? Simon can see the confectionery possibilities and Mother the more lucrative lucre. With a plot as simple as this it is quite extraordinary what then develops. Arabella, the professor’s daughter, fiddles with the chemicals bought by the Sno<sd brood to allow the’

professor to mix up the cream. Arabella is not up to the vanishing elixir, but a storybook frog, princess and king do appear in a most unusual way. Suited to those aged four and above, this playlet entertained children younger and considerably older with its quick, lively pace and melodramatic delivery. Performances were energetic and full blooded. Simon (Chris Boje) was a doltish public schoolboy character with a bent towards doing the wrong thing at the right time. His mother, played by Janice Grey, was gloriously evil and well prepared, with knee pads, to bow and scrape her way into the King’s marital favour. The short, portly storybook king, Gabriel Alston, was thoroughly dominated by his two lady acquaintances. If Janice Grey were not enough, the storybook princess in the shape and form of Lynne Waldegrave would certainly have done the trick. Flouncy and dominating with a barbarously wide flared skirt, the princess was not your average wholesome storybook lovely. Leigh Mangin played Ara-

bella, the sensible, sweet heroine that we have all come to know and love. The frog, filthy beast, according to some of the less savoury characters, but really quite sweet when you get to know him, was played by John Pheloung. Michelanne Forster’s story was captivating and held all the children’s attention. The committed performance by the cast and the use of lighting changes and music to heighten the melodramatic effects added to the sense of spontaneity. Technically, a great deal of effort has been expended to achieve the desired effect. Sound levels were a little erratic and need to be adjusted, especially during the entrance promenades of the storybook personalities, when the levels were too low and distanced the action. This play marks a departure from the more usual bits-and-pieces children’s theatre where the material is chosen from a number of sources, appropriate to a variety of age levels. “Arabella and the Vanishing Cream Plot” is a successful playlet which will captivate all whofattend.