Leicester Square Theatre – until 7 January. Reviewed by Claire Roderick
4****
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Stick Man is brought to life in seriously silly style by Scamp Theatre. This is the production’s seventh Christmas in the West End, a mark of true quality.
As with all of Donaldson’s wonderful picture books, the story is simple with a repetitive refrain. Stick Man and his Lady Love live happily with their three children in their family tree. One morning Stick Man goes for a jog and his troubles begin. He meets a dog who wants to play fetch, a karate kicking girl who wants to play Poohsticks, a swan who wants to build a nest, people who use him as a bat and a flagpole, and eventually ends up as firewood. Luckily a Christmas visitor arrives to help Stick Man get home.
The cast of three is energetic with fantastic physical comedy skills. Sam Heron is Stick Man, Lara Cowin plays most of the other characters from the story, and musician Alex Tosh plays the remaining characters.
The jaunty music and songs are repetitive, in keeping with the source material, and there’s even a scene where the audience is asked to recap the story (which they did with gusto). There is plenty of visual comedy for the very youngest children, and lots of asides that go straight over the children’s heads to keep the adults chuckling as well. At one point, there is a free for all with a giant beach ball being thrown around the theatre by screaming children, but the cast reined it back in brilliantly, bringing the audience back to the story with consummate skill. The jeopardy when Stick Man was collected for the fire was greeted with oohs and ahhs from most of the audience, but a few younger children buried their heads in their parents’ chests and needed a little reassurance. Of course, the appearance of Santa soon made them forget all about their worries.
This is a charming, inventive and slick production – Stick Man is fantastic festive fun for all the family.