The Jungle Book at the Richmond Theatre

Published by: Carolin Kopplin on 22nd Jun 2011 | View all blogs by Carolin Kopplin

Laura Waggott, Zephryn Taitte, Rob Hughes, and Samuel Hargreaves

Together we are safe! Together we are strong!

Most people will remember the Disney movie when they think of The Jungle Book. The Birmingham Stage Company presents a show that is very different from the Disney classic and much closer to the original stories by Rudyard Kipling. Cleverly staged in a colourful, flexible jungle set (design by Jacqueline Trousdale) director Neal Foster has created an exciting show that keeps the attention of even younger children for two hours. There is some audience participation to keep the youngsters involved, a bit of slapstick and lots of catchy tunes by BB Cooper (lyrics by Bar Jungr) - It All Came Down to Jungle Law, jackal Tabaqui’s song I’m Coming After You with a brilliant rat chorus (played by puppets), a monkey breakdance, and the moving song Who Am I which structures and accompanies the action during much of the second half.

Apart from the characters played by humans but there is also skilful puppetry – particularly the young Mowgli and the mysterious snake Kaa (Laura Waggott). An animal movement expert (Peter Elliott) worked with the actors and this is very noticeable – especially in the wolves and the monkies.

Samuel Hargreaves is a likeable, cocky Mowgli – the boy raised by wolves who must find himself and defeat his enemy Shere Khan. Peter Sowerbutts superbly portrays his menacing antagonist. In one scene the tiger sneaks up on Mowgli and I almost jumped although I could see exactly what was happening. Rob Hughes and Zephryn Taitte are very good as Mowgli’s mentors – the bumbly Baloo who occasionally forgets his strength and knocks Mowgli to the ground and the graceful Bagheera. Natasha Lewis plays both Mowgli’s wolf mother Raksha and the human mother Messua who has lost her son to Shere Khan and accepts Mowgli into her home. Iwan Tudor conveys the strength and humaneness of the wolf Akela.

This is a show that appeals to children and adults alike.

Until 25 June 2011

Richmond Theatre
The Green
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 1QJ

Box Office
0844 871 7651

http://www.ambassadortickets.com/2175/659/Richmond/Richmond-Theatre/Jungle-Book-Tickets