UK Theatre Network

Lazy Town Live – The Pirate Adventure reviewed Tuesday 1^st September 2009

Yo, Ho Fiddle Dee Dee

Being a pirate is alright with me

Do what you want ‘cos a pirate is free

You are a pirate!

I have been singing this all day – much to the bewilderment of my colleagues at work! I took my two year old nephew, six year old niece and 42 year old (going on eight) brother to this show last night.  We had a riot, as did all the other kids in the audience!

This show has become hugely popular in this country over the last year. Originating in Iceland, superhero Sportacus encourages children to be active and energetic whilst Robbie Rotten, the baddie, tries to rid Lazy Town of Sportacus so everyone can be  - you guessed it – lazy!

The cast work tremendously hard and are highly energetic in their efforts to get everyone up and involved. Some of the adults who took younger members of the audience could have made more of an effort to get into the spirit of the show. After all, the whole premise for this cartoon is on healthy living and activity. Children follow the examples set to them so how can they get up, dance, jump about, shout and let themselves go if their parents, aunts, nannies etc don’t enter into the spirit of the show?

My brother and I were up on our feet, doing all the actions and generally joining in but, as adults, we were in the minority. It was a shame for the cast that half the audience remained firmly rooted to their seats and showed a distinct air of disdain for all the antics on stage.  

In the true spirit of the pantomime tradition there are some funny moments for the adults. Sportacus and Robbie Rotten, played by Julian Essex-Spurrier



and Matthew Medhurst



respectively, provide most of these. Sportacus in his supertight lycra, superhero’s costume definitely cheered up some of the older female members of the audience! His one handed cartwheels and gymnastics are great fun and he had numerous little boy fans in the audience dressed as mini Sportaci - if that is indeed the plural! 

Kimberly Pena as Stephanie is perhaps the driving force of the production, leading most of the singing and dancing, which the cast break into every couple of minutes. Played with that over enthusiastic American accent that seems to accompany so much children’s entertainment nowadays there is a slightly annoying aspect to her (speaking as an adult) but is tireless at exuding fun, happiness and general goodness to the world around her and as with Sportacus, Stephanie had fans in the audience all sporting candy pink wigs - and that was just the dads!

This is a high energy, noisy, fun and very entertaining production. It is short - 90 minutes with an interval. If you are looking for something to entertain young ones up (or even yourself) this autumn then this is the ticket.

Lazy Town Live! – The Pirate Adventure plays Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 5^th September 2009. Then on tour

September

10 – 13 The Orchard Theatre, Dartford

16 –20 Swan Theatre, High Wycombe

October

1 – 4 Hackney Empire, London

8-11 New Theatre, Hull

22 – 25 Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham

28 –31 Theatre Royal, Norwich

November

5 – 8 Corn Exchange, Cambridge

12 –15 Grand Theatre, Swansea

19 – 22 Grand Theatre, Blackpool

26-29 Pavilions, Plymouth

 
Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office on 0844 871 7652 (bkg fee) or www.ambassadortickets.com/miltonkeynes  (bkg fee)