Arriving tentatively and wondering if the two aunts from the famous book of James and The Giant Peach would be as fearsome as the book portrays or as evil as The Tim Burton film illustrates, my two nephews and I settled down to enjoy The Roald Dahl favourite.
The Birmingham Stage Company, following its acclaimed productions of George’s Marvellous Medicine, Horrible Histories and The Jungle Book, lit up the theatre with their take on the children’s classic with amazing sets and lots of invitations for interaction from the audience. Our introduction to the production was from a larger than life American tour guide who entered the theatre from the rear to discuss what was in store and how the tale would unwind. I wondered what my nephews’ perceptions of the theatre would be as this was their first experience, but they were quiet with eyes glued to the stage and who could blame them? Music and song filled the theatre as James and his loathsome aunts sung and shouted their way through the start of the story of how poor James had become an orphan when his mum and dad had been eaten by a stray rhinosaurus on a shopping trip to London. A miserable life for James followed as he was sent to live with his funny, creepy, scary, grim and engaging aunts. His life then changed overnight when he had a magical encounter with a strange old man who offered him some magical glowing crocodile teeth.
If you don’t know the story, or even if you do, now is the time to enjoy an amazing show in a gorgeous setting. Children and adults will enjoy this one because there is loads of humour and interaction. Amazingly, all the characters played musical instruments and they played them well. We noted a saxophone, guitar, flute, cello, violin, perhaps other instruments too – this is a talented cast with charisma flowing off the stage and infecting the audience. The adults and the children laughed and jumped at all the right parts with loads of bangs and bright explosions as well as a huge peach that grows very convincingly and transforms into a complete three dimensional, swivelling gigantic peach, dominating the stage, which was sat on, clambered on, attached to seagulls and flown, fallen off, dropped into the sea, attacked by sharks and finally, well as I say, if you don’t know the story… Now is your chance to find out. It’s on until Saturday and comes highly recommended.
Tickets are £12 for children and £16 for adults. Book online, by phone (01253 290190) or by visiting the box office on Church Street.
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