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The Cat in the Hat
Lichfield Garrick
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THIS poem has had pan-generational appeal
since it was written in 1957 by Dr Theodore Seuss. Its combination of
rhyme, rhythm, fun and mischief captivating children, and their parents.
Adapting the original poem has been a labour of
love for Katie Mitchell, who road –tested the project on her
four-year-old daughter, an ideal guinea-pig, as the production is aimed
at the three to six-year-old age group.
Mitchell enjoys a controversial reputation as
both the best director of her generation and cultural vandal, tearing up
the works of Handel and Chekhov, then reconstructing them.
Her approach to
The Cat in the Hat
has been tempered by the forensically controlling rights holders, Dr
Seuss’s Estate, ensuring that the story we all remember, and introduce
to our children, is the story brought to the stage.
Mitchell bravely produces each page as a self-
contained scene. This has the advantage of fleshing out the story as
each series of actions is acted out, but the disadvantage that the
rhyming narrative rhythm of the story is broken up, occasionally feeling
a little disjointed as a consequence
The joyful narrative is a delight, performed by
six actors, amidst a riot of colour and physical excitement as giant
balloons roll around the stage, and fly into the audience.
When the Cat and Things 1 and 2 charge into, and
in and out, of the audience, the children squealed with delight.
Naturally the Cat is the star, complete with
towering, flipperty-flopperty hat, creating mayhem for home- alone Sally
and her brother. Thing One and Thing two ably assist the Cat. All the
children loved it, laughing along and maintaining concentration
throughout a fairly brief show of around forty five minutes with no
interval.
The closing question asking the children whether
they would tell their mother of the chaos that had unfolded with the
Cats’ visit if they had been Sally and her brother was a resounding
“No!”
A first class, well-produced, and well –acted,
children’s theatre piece.
This new production is directed by Lillie
Collier, designed by David Shields and produced by Paul Taylor-Mills
Ltd. It is presented through special arrangement with Josef Weinberger
Plays Ltd on behalf of Music Theatre International (MTI). Vicki
Mortimer's designs are faithful to the simple original illustrations,
and the lively recorded score by Paul Clark adds much to the production.
The show runs to19th April then continues on
tour.
Gary Longden
18-04-16
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