Dr Seuss show sparkles
Seussical Jr by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Aherns, Directed by Kane Parsons, Musical director Graham Johnston, Choreographer Taryn Baxter for Manawatu¯ Youth Theatre, Globe Theatre, Palmerston North, July 11 – 21.
For a holidays treat come open your purse
Take the kids to a show with its words all in verse.
Seussical Jr, the first production by the Manawatu¯ Youth Theatre, is a terrific way to launch this new performance enterprise.
From the opening scene, with its oversized striped trademark Cat-in-the-hat
chapeau, to the Green Eggs and Ham
finale, the show’s young cast sparkles.
Seussical Jr is a one-act version of the Broadway show Seussical the Musical,
based on the works of Dr Seuss. It has been cut down and arranged especially for young performers and audiences.
The quirky musical centres on two stories involving Horton the Elephant – Horton Hears A Who! and Horton Hatches The Egg.
Compered by The Cat in the Hat, it contains numerous other Seuss characters, while referencing a host of other stories.
The colourful but simple costuming enables the 30 or so performers aged between 6 and 16 to fully characterise their roles.
For instance, Horton, played by Tom Varney, wears grey-coloured clothing set off by an outsized padded necktie.
The single tail feather of Gertrude Mcfuzz, played eloquently by Bethany Green, is suggested by a short sash.
Whether singing or dancing to the simplified routines, the impressive cast is fully engaged and the piece showcases plenty of up-and-coming talent.
Grace Fakahau, who plays Sour Kangaroo, has a great voice and presence. Emma-katte Johnston makes the most of the vampish self-centred Mayzie Labird, with Julia Tate-davis an impressive Cat and Joshua Harrison a convincing wideeyed Jojo.
There were a few sound and diction problems and at an hour and 15 minutes it was perhaps getting a bit long for younger attention spans, but this doesn’t get in the way of the fun.