Richmond Theatre – until Sunday 12 May 2024
Reviewed by Carly Burlinge
5*****
Richmond brings you the well known and loved story written by the very talented David Walliams – Awful Auntie.
It tells the story of a young girl Stella Saxby (Annie Cordoni) who wakes up from a coma to realise that she has been involved in a terrible accident alongside her parents who unfortunately were not as lucky as she was and have sadly passed away! With only her Crazy Aunt Alberta (Neal Foster) there to give her all the details. Stella begins to realise that things are not as they seem and that she is actually a prisoner in her own home with her Auntie alongside her pet owl Wagner (Emily Essery) and they are both only after one thing … The deeds of Saxby Hall. As Stella begins to think she has no way out she discovers Soot (Matthew Allen)t he Ghost of Saxby Hall, and together, like detectives, they begin to piece the evidence together only to realise that Aunt Alberta is not whom she seems and will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
The cast were just fantastic from start to finish with Awful Auntie – despite being the villain of the show she truly did bring us all the comedic relief we needed. Neal Foster played Awful Auntie perfectly, it was almost as if she was straight out the book itself!
Emily Essery the puppeteer as Wagner gave us a truly spectacular performance during the entirety of the show really allowing all the children and adults to be fascinated by the movements, so much talent. Watching the children’s faces as she stopped through the front of the audience was magical to watch.
Stella managed to capture the essence of a younger child full of imagination and wonder along side Soot (Matthew Allen) A rhyming Cockney chimney sweep Ghost, who offered much entertainment together they showed some exceptional acting and a good partnership on stage.
I also loved how the stage changed when they left the house with everything becoming small and puppetry being used for each character. This was just fascinating to watch and very cleverly done just outstanding.
This was certainly a phenomenal show, truly wondrous! Definitely one for the whole family-just spectacular and not to be missed.
It was also very special to see David Walliams himself onstage giving a warm hello to all his fans what a wonderful ending to a wonderful show