As the younger members of the audience ran around the room chasing bubbles before the show began it was immediately apparent that Ricochet Theatre understood their audience. A new company formed in London by Micha Colombo and Alice Sillet, Ricochet Theatre believe that playing should not just be for children. They went a long way towards proving this point over the fifty minutes of their performance. Following the bubbles was charming storytelling, singing and puppetry that combined to form an enchanting experience for both the children and adult members of the audience.
The energy and enthusiasm with which Colombo and Sillet performed was infectious. Their wonderfully emotive and engaging narrative style was captivating and combined with lovely puppets and audience interaction, a tale emerges sure to be appreciated by all.
However, whilst the techniques employed were delightful the story itself was slightly confusing. Whale Tale is the story of one little whale and two adventurous girls whom he accidentally swallows. Along the way we met Whale Watchers, Ship Captains and even a flirty Octopus and Crab. Though each of the many parts were well realized by Colombo and Sillet, their rapid character changes combined with the puppetry made certain plot points hard to follow. However, even when the sequence of events was unclear the beauty of the story shone through. This is a production that raises the bar of children’s theatre, not just pandering to the audience but also actively encouraging them to join in and appreciate the performance.
