Little Angel Theatre – until 20 November 2022
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
4****
Little Angel and Monstro’s The King of Nothing is a cheeky and charming re-imagining of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Ben Glasstone and directed by Steve Tiplady. Aimed at 5 to 11 year olds, there are enough dad jokes to satisfy the adults and plenty of physical comedy and silliness to keep the younger audience members smiling.
The King of Falala isn’t interested in the rising price of electricity or the gurgling drains that bother his subjects. All he cares about is fashion and being smart and “in”. When one of his most trusted advisors is Keeper of the Royal Undergarments, you know the kingdom is in trouble. For his birthday parade, King Reginald wants to dazzle in something spectacular, at least three steps ahead of current trends, but what to wear? Enter two swindlers (Karina Garnett and Gilbert Taylor), weaving both the story and the mystical cloth for King Reginald’s birthday suit.
Alison Alexander’s colourful and creative set and puppet design gives a travelling circus feel to the show, with a variety of puppet characters that the children loved. The test for whether a young audience is lost in a story is when characters switch between puppet and performer representation without the audience losing their belief, and the switches are seamless in this show. The fantastic Garnett and Taylor pitch their performances perfectly and there are lovely moments where the audience become part of the story. With a lovely mix of music and storytelling, The King of Nothing breathes new life into this classic tale. Fantastic family fun.