UK Theatre Network

George’s Marvellous Medicine

Darlington Civic Theatre

Roald Dahl’s amazing story about a boy who concocts a marvellous medicine from an astonishing array of household ingredients is vibrantly and vividly brought to life in The Birmingham Stage Company’s production of ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’.

Newly adapted by David Wood, it tells the story of George, a likeable young lad who is a little put-upon by his parents who run a farm. Matters are made worse for the young lad (who is wonderfully played by an energetic and enthusiastic Clark Devlin) when he learns that his cantankerous and crabby grandmother will be coming to stay with the family while she convalesces. This really puts the dampers on his school holiday and deprives him of the chance to finish his book about a boy wizard.

Deciding the medicine that his demonic and demanding grandmother must take three times a day is not making her any ‘better’, George decides to come up with one of his own. But when his grandmother drinks the special potion, the most incredible things start to happen and George’s adventure really begins!

Designer Jacqueline Trousdale has come up with a set that is both visually impressive and extremely functional. The ramshackle farmhouse is really as much a character as George, Mum, Dad or Grandmother. Gillian Malster’s costumes give the characters an authentic and colourful comic-book look.

Although it is, undoubtedly, Clark Devlin as George who carries the entire piece and has the youngsters in the audience joining in for all they are worth, he is ably supported by the rotund Alison Fitzjohn as Mum, the madcap Richard Mullins as Dad and villain-of-the-piece Erika Poole as Grandmother.

The farmyard occupants are brought to life with sound effects by Tom Lishman and amusing puppets by Roman Stefanski. Matthew Scott’s music matched the pace of the on-stage action and was quite catchy, too.

Despite the fact that ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ does not stand up as well against other Dahl classics such as ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, ‘Matilda’ and ‘James and the Giant Peach’ in terms of imagination and plot development, as an individual piece of children’s theatre it succeeded in keeping the kids entertained throughout – and perhaps it is being churlish to ask for anything more than that?

Steve Burbridge.

Runs Until 13^th November 2010.