Bingley Arts Centre – 12th April 2023
Reviewed by Sal E Marino
5*****
Bingley Arts Centre, a most welcoming and friendly venue filled with good Yorkshire cheer, was the perfect place to host the new Mikron Theatre Company play Twitchers, written by Poppy Hollman. I’d never been to the Bingley Arts centre before and never seen a Mikron production either and after last night’s experience, I am now an avid fan and champion of both!
Twitchers is a truly unique and engaging play, and I left Bingley with a head full of fascinating facts, lots of chuckles and an overwhelming feeling of joy! Joy because you just end up smiling throughout the performance and joy due to being part of our amazing earth, which Twitchers remind you of! If there’s one thing people will take away with them it’s not just that of being highly entertained but the message that nature is sacred, and we must start looking after it. That might sound like it’s a show that is ‘heavy’ and full of environmental issues but it’s the complete opposite – the production is light-hearted, very funny and very warm.
The cast: Eddie Ahrens, Hannah Baker, Harvey Badger and Rachel Hammond are all first-class actors, musicians and all-round multi-talented performers. Not only did they portray quirky people, but birds too and got it all spot-on! It’s hard to explain how one portrays a heron or a robin, but they just did it and brought the house down! I learnt so much and kudos must be given to the Mikron creative team, who along with Poppy, crafted and weaved the bird facts into the narrative through song, dance and amusing props. Did you know that the RSPB was created by women in a protest against the use of plumage in hat making? This and so much more information was seamlessly presented to the audience in a way whereby you didn’t even realise you were picking up facts but once heard, never forgotten.
There were things in the play that will stay with you, not only the jokes but the bigger message – the one that awakens your consciousness, especially towards looking after nature. The songs were chirpy (pardon the pun), cheerful and spoke to the heart just like our birds. Have you noticed they seem to be more abundant in number and louder in song this year – perhaps they’re trying to help us humans by waking us up? With Mikron’s play Twitchers, I think they’ll achieve this! In their 51st year of touring, Twitchers is an absolute gem of a play to celebrate with and achieves all that any feel-good production should aim for – fun, music and laughter. However, Twitchers also has a cherry on top of the cake too which is that if you’re not a bird lover already, then you will be by the end of the play or at least appreciate our beautiful, feathered friends more and want to protect them.