ALSO PLAYING
Louis Lovett has a deserved reputation as a writer and performer of children’s theatre and all his skills are on show again in They Called Her Vivaldi (Peacock, HHH). In essence it’s another fairy story on the theme that you don’t have to go looking for dubious magical supports to make the most of your talents – another version of The Wizard Of Oz in fact. Lovett, accompanied stylishly by Genevieve Hulme-Beaman, employs his full bag of theatrical tricks, mime, movement and word-play, including rhyming couplets, to capture the attention of young audiences as he brings musical prodigy Cecilia Maria Haberdasher, nickname Vivaldi, in search of her stolen Capello: that’s a headpiece that can read the music in people’s minds, which she can jot down and play instantly. So when the Capello is stolen her world is shattered. The search brings her in touch with a clutch of odd characters, each also missing a stolen treasure, until she finally solves the mystery of the missing headpiece. It starts well with some good silent comedy but the story and dialogue get unnecessarily complicated in places before rounding off with the sort of activity children love: fights using invisible swords and swishing sound effects: and there are lots of throwaway lines for the adults. The use of darkness and spooky lighting might not be suitable for younger children, so the show is aimed at 7+ youngsters. Runs until Dec 23.