A refreshingly creative and atmospheric adaptation of the old school television show
It’s wonderful to see older actors having fun playing around in a children’s show.
With a creative use of wordplay and enjoyable songs added into the mix, it’s a delightful show that will please fans of the original as much as the many newcomers to the tale. Just as the adventure seems to be coming to an end, we are given another story thread as our heroes have to come to the aid of townspeople under siege by an unusual dragon. Without giving too much away, if you have any little ones who are a fan of dragons then this show is an absolute must see. When the creature arrived on stage I have rarely seen so many children jumping out of their seats with excitement. Once again, the production design has to be highly commended for its achievements.
The actors in the production are great fun, and it has to be said that it’s wonderful to see older actors having fun playing around in a children’s show. Too often children’s shows can seem a little too in-your-face with young actors frantically jolting around the stage. Here, we have some delightfully droll actors taking their time and pleasing both the old and young with their fun characterizations and witty asides. However, on the flip side of this, there are some pacing issues that arise when the cast are so relaxed within the production. Some action-packed movement sequences would be a welcome addition to a tale of Vikings, yet the production misses that aspect and relies more on the props and set to represent the action rather than the actors. Despite that, this is still an absolutely rollicking show that is a great adventure tale and an amusing, pleasing hour for all kids, old and young.