Theatre Review: Chickenshed

 
Last night's production of The Toymaker's Child was special.  It was the last show of the season, meaning that this review may contain some spoilers.

From the start, the BSL enterpreters were centre stage and well lit but fit into the setting.  Though I do not speak BSL I would like to learn and this show gave me a chance to see it.  There is loads going on in the stage, especially in the spectacular and exciting songs.  There was a real band at the top rather than in a pit, with a violin, percussionists, and a saxophone.  The lighting and technical side was masterful.  At one point in the story, the robot drowns in water and it is an immersive experience for all the senses that made me hold my nose and brace for entry into the water spilling off the stage as smoke and lighting.  The ushers too, behaved in an inclusive way, by holding signs in stead of distracting people by announcing stuff to us.  My dad who works in IT liked the Windows windows, a quote of Microsoft Windows 10; and there was lots of technology, while borrowing from classic narratives of pinocio, the Christmas classic Wizard of Oz (the tin man well-played by a woman) and that tale of sisters, Frozen.  The costumes too were amazing with the starring robot equipped with blue LEDs.

Music too was bang up to date.

The narrative was quite surreal and to be honest I could not make out what was going on.  But powerful themes including the creator and toy-maker giving up, having a teenager, and wanting to control them or kill them off rather than let them go.  Perhaps the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has created a monster too, and one day that monster will grow with its siblings and make friends with them.  The relationship of the 2 female leads was so sweet and modelled half sisters who pick each other up when they are down, even risking their own survival, and coming out stronger.  Their relationship is not just sisters, and not best friends but their only friends.  It turns out the special robot is so intelligent and has many talents including dancing!

I also enjoyed the parody of the 24 hour news shock jock with absolutly nothing to say and very dumbed down.  GB News? I wouldn't know; I've only been interviewed by them once.

I was left with a sense of hope but that more needs to be done so that the arts should be accessible to all.