Honeyman hits the mark with her children’s theatre

JANICE Honeyman directs and acts in a solid children’s theatre storytelling session. While she does reference the storytelling tree and the TV show she used to do – Bangalory Time – this is more a nod for the adults in the audience. Children who don’t get the reference do not suffer for it because she simply lifts the idea of storytelling from the show and continues the tradition.

The small stage is bright and cosy, filled with not only the props Honeyman, Zoleka Helesi and Marty Kintu use, but all sorts of interesting tchotchkes that could conceivably lead to other stories.

This is not for little ones under the age of 4 who will become restless at having to direct their attention in one direction for so long and not be allowed to go up and play with the colourful stuff in front of them. On the other hand, it is too straightforward and simple for those older than 12 who want an interactivity of a different kind.

Honeyman interacts with the audience throughout, directly addressing the children as she tells the stories that Helesi and Kintu enact. She is warm and personable and non-threatening; everyone’s favourite gran who just happens to remember a story for you.

Helesi and Kintu interact with her, but then also take on the various characters in her stories, either manipulating puppets or acting out various characters. Helesi is especially good with the latter, giving us everything from an old man to a teenage, rapping bully. Kintu is as good, though he gets less scope. Honeyman also occasionally plays a character when necessary, though most of the time she is the one recounting the tale and controlling the pace.

The stories all have a local flavour to them, though localised to the whole of Africa. They are also not all light and sunshine with a dark and dangerous edge to them. Fables for children are usually moral lessons which started off way scarier and have been smoothed out over the years, but these are still deliciously raw.

Double Crossword

Honeyman’s stories are still on the dangerous side to teach children important lessons they can identify with because here the context is something they recognise.

The children in the audience

TUESDAY DECEMBER 15

2015 responded with attention and the requisite responses when required. When I watched, one little person even giggled to her mom: “This story is so funny,” so they are hitting the mark which, when it comes to kids, is fickle and narrow.