The Just So Stories
By Lisa Maloney – Center Facebook Fan
Only children could properly act out Rudyard Kipling’s The Just So Stories. Joseph Robinette’s script adaptation and Janet Stoneburner’s direction lead the young cast to excel by trading heavily in their native currency: Imagination.
Opening night was spotted with the occasional unevenness one finds in novice actors of any age. But for every child that could have taken a breath between words or turned a little more toward the audience, there was another one spot on cue. And when the children stampede over to Elsie, played by an impressively poised Barae Hirsch, they’re completely authentic. Even if a few lines assume the speech patterns of a bygone era, the way the children clamor to act out another story--then assign each other the roles--is familiar to anyone that’s ever been a kid.
So is the make-believe. With little more than a conspicuously fake palm tree, the contents of an off-stage costume chest and a length of blue fabric, the children take you with them as they imagine their way from far-off desert lands to the Amazon jungle. Of course, you’ll find more than just one tree and some water (the fabric) on such a journey. The kids fill in the gaps themselves, taking turns as everything from mountains to blades of grass.
Every uneven spot was compensated by the unabashed sparkle of talent in development. Hirsch displayed projection and enunciation that any adult actor would envy, even when speaking from offstage. Chloe Hebert, as Faith, brought a mischievous, sprightly energy that fit her role perfectly. And Cade Harris, as Girard, threatens to steal the show when he becomes a painted jaguar. All the elements of a great performance are there, and once they’re all synced up--both for individuals and as a group--this play will really shine.
Most adults in the audience were escorted by children. But unaccompanied adults with an hour to spare would enjoy this play, too. After all, you never really forget what it’s like to be a child--but sometimes you do need to be reminded. As one young audience member explained to her mother on the way out: It’s all about imagination.
The Just So Stories
Alaska Theatre of Youth
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sydney Laurence Theatre
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