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APOLLO THEATRE
Shaftesbury Avenue |
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CARRIE'S WAR (play)
Ends 12th September 2009.
Signed performance: Saturday 11th July 2009 at 2.30pm
Captioned performances: Saturday 15th August 2009 at 2.30pm and Thursday 3rd
September 2009 at 7.30pm
Audio Described performance: Saturday 5th September 2009 at 2.30pm
At the start of World War Two, Carrie and Nick Willow are evacuated to a small
Welsh Village. At Christmas they are sent to Druid's Bottom to collect a goose.
There they meet Mrs Gotobed, housekeeper Hepzibah, Mister Johnny, Albert
Sandwich and... a skull...
One of the Monkey's favourite childhood books by Nina Bawden ('The Peppermint
Pig' is also worth reading, but it digresses) is adapted by Emma Reeves. Andrew
Loudon directs a cast including Sarah Edwardson as Carrie and Prunella Scales as
Mrs Gotobed.www.carrieswar.com is the
production website.
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Theatremonkey Opinion: |
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As book adaptations go, this one isn't bad at all. The flashback device which is
required to hold the storyline together works fine, the live characters are
close to the book - with the exception of Mr Evans who seems to have lost the
quiet dignity at his centre in favour of a more theatrical roar - and the adults
almost get away with playing children as required. Whether it's enough to
sustain adult interest until school term ends and the sort of children who still
read for pleasure can find their way there is another matter. There's not enough
subtext for an adult mind, really, and the plot itself is going to be quickly
worked out by those who aren't already familiar with the book.
Still, it has Prunella Scales, and Sarah Edwardson is a likeable heroine too.
You'll do children a favour if they see this and can be persuaded to read the
book. Or the other way around. No matter, it's worth a family ticket either way.
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