one4review | On 13, Aug 2016

Such a beloved story can be a challenge for a youth theatre group, but the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre didn’t let it show.

In a tale like this, there is always back-story to narrate, but on stage action kept the pace up. Yorkshire accents were strong enough to sound convincing, but not so strong as to baffle southerners watching. Some lovely use of props, such as a ladder, garden gates, and the growing flower garden all helped to keep this lively.
The use of the colourful accents – the robin’s red breast, red shawls and the roses, added a coherence to certain scenes, drawing out the links between them.

A slight niggle in that it felt quite late before Mary even met Colin, and then a little rushed to the end, but overall, it worked. Some lovely singing, especially by Kalyane Warren, was a highlight.
I loved this book as a child, and was nervous to see it on stage. I didn’t need to be. These young people got it just right.

Reviewed by Gill
Gilded Balloon at Teviot
To 19th Aug 12:00