Pamela and her bunny
The Velveteen Rabbit comes to life on Kitchener stage
British author Margery Williams’ “The Velveteen Rabbit” is the kind of story one curls up with by the fire and reads to a child on a cold winter’s night. It’s lovely, but that doesn’t always translate to the stage, particularly when trying to keep little ones entertained.
Fortunately, Kitchener playwright Amy Neufeld, mother of the two little girls in the play, Daisy and Matilda Varteniuk, understands kids and her new adaptation is both sweet and engaging.
Neufeld’s theatre company, Lightning Banjo Productions, opens her newest work “The Velveteen Rabbit” tonight at the Registry Theatre. It runs until Sunday. The play stays true to the basic story line of the 1922 book, but her interpretation makes it much more fun to watch.
“We wanted to put our own spin on it,” she said. “It’s really a delicate balance: you go back to the source and tease out the important bits.”
The play follows a Velveteen rabbit named Bunny, as he is gifted to a little girl named Pamela at Christmas. Pamela is played by the energetic and funny Joy Soltys. Pamela loves her bunny and takes him on imaginary adventures in her bedroom and in the garden. She imagines her room has a river running through it, volcanoes erupt and then there is a pirate attack, all dangers requiring Pamela to find ways of saving herself and Bunny.
The stuffed rabbit is enthralled with all the attention. But, like Pinocchio, Bunny is not satisfied with just being a toy, he wants to be real. And so begins his journey to discover what it means to be real, to have feelings, to love and be loved.
Bunny’s mentor, the horse, Pamela’s
oldest toy, played by Kevin White, explains toys can only become real if they are loved.
White is terrific in this part, like a wise old grandfather. And his costume, by Helen Basson, is very effective. She even created hooves for him.
In the original story the child is a boy, and Neufeld said she is not making a feminist statement by having the lead character a girl.
“I made her very boisterous and adventurous, but she also really likes to cuddle,” Neufield said. “The spirit of the story hasn’t changed.”
Conner Ambler plays Bunny, bringing an innocence to his role as a stuffed rabbit who tries to navigate this strange new world of feelings. At one point he encounters a real rabbit, played by Anna Maste, who also plays Nanny Peggy and a rather snobby toy boat known as Sloop.
As the two come together they see more differences than similarities. Maste’s character leaps around the stage and dances with exuberance, while Bunny can barely hop.
The play, at 50 minutes, with no intermission, will appeal to different ages for different reasons. The little ones will enjoy the costumed characters and the fun storyline. Adults will see deeper meaning.
At the core of the production, it’s all about love and imagination. In an age when so many children are losing the capacity to play, “The Velveteen Rabbit” is a reminder of all the magical places our imaginations can take us.