They create a cozy and slightly otherworldly atmosphere, augmenting the story without overpowering it.
It tells the story of a young boy, Raymondo, who is locked in a cellar for six years with his brother, Sparky. They eventually escape the cellar using a “Cloak of OK” - a magical cloak made by Raymondo which makes the wearer feel “OK,” no matter what the circumstances. In their search for love, friendship and a decent meal, the two brothers travel through a fantastical reality which, while it deals with a lot of very distressing topics, never loses its sense of magic.
The most special thing about this show is the script, which is positively poetic in its use of lyrical phrases and beautiful images. It is impressively original, using metaphor in ways that are always playful and never quite familiar. The quality of the script lifts the show from an interesting story to something that hovers around the sublime.
The minimal set (lots of different old fashioned lampshades) and simple but effective guitar accompaniment (provided by Daniel Green) fit the tone wonderfully. They create a cozy and slightly otherworldly atmosphere, augmenting the story without overpowering it.
Annie Siddons, who both wrote the script and performs most of it, is perhaps more of a writer than a performer. Her performance is solid, but it is quite simple and impressionistic. She never really transforms herself into her characters. Occasionally she gives them accents, but never really mannerisms or voices. The result is that we remain very aware of the storyteller throughout. However, this does little to dampen the enjoyment of such a wonderful piece of theatre.
