The Boy Who Fell Into a Book – Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough

Evelyn Hoskins, John Barr and Nicolas Colicos in The Boy Who Fell Into a Book at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough. Picture: Tony Bartholomew

The Boy Who Fell into a Book continues at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough until 31 August.

There are some who would be surprised to learn that Alan Ayckbourn is not entirely new to musical theatre. He opened the Stephen Joseph Theatre (SJT) with By Jeeves, which he co-wrote with Andrew Lloyd-Webber, in 1996.

The current production at the SJT is a musical adaptation of one of his Christmas plays, The Boy Who Fell into a Book (1998). Ayckbourn describes it as designed to appeal to the whole family, not just children: “It’s for anyone who secretly reads under the covers and who has ever been captivated by a story in a book.”

The plot is a familiar one: a boy, Kevin, falls asleep reading a book… and then finds himself playing a part in the narrative. Or rather, narratives.

His first encounter is with the detective Rockfist Slim, the self-proclaimed man of titanium with a .45 pistol in his hand, a .38 in his pocket and a .22 in his sock. Pursued by his haughty enemy Monique, right hand of the mysterious arch-criminal the Green Shark, the two adventure through a series of books. With only moments to spare, they save the world, but naturally have to part, with Kevin waking up safe and sound in bed. What else?

Progressing through different books allows a certain freedom to play with, and subvert, genres. Gothic horror is contrasted with the Tellytubbies-type family the Wubblies, but the core is detective fiction with Rockfist Slim probably parodying Spillane’s Mike Hammer rather than Philip Marlowe.

The musical team reunites the creators of the highly popular The Demon Headmaster: music by Cathy Shostak and Eric Angus with the adaptation and lyrics by Paul James.

With a show like this, the brushstrokes of the action are very broad, but that does not mean that song lyrics can be rough and ready. Perhaps the audience does not leave humming the tunes, but they laugh along as points are sharply made and the action is advanced.

Nicholas Colicos is Rockfist Slim, the powerfully built detective who deploys a fine baritone voice. Physically and vocally, he contrasts with the diminutive Evelyn Hoskins as Kevin. They are onstage most of the time and thoroughly deserve the audience’s obvious appreciation saved for their bow.

The alluring Katie Birtill as Monique, is their nemesis. As the femme fatale, she has all the right attributes to be convincing in the role.

Other cast members play multiple parts. The pick of them is Natasha J Barnes, whose tour de force singing as the White Queen threatens to stop the show. John Barr’s effete, yet sinister, Red Bishop and Steven Matthews’ eccentric Rumpelstiltskin delight the younger members of the audience.

Designer Michael Holt has served the actors well with his costumes. The chess scene is particularly evocative, calling to mind Alice in Wonderland.

This would not be an Ayckbourn production without stunning effects: a chimney flies in, a well appears, Monique spectacularly disappears as her time out of a story is curtailed.

In an interview, lyricist and adaptor Paul James said he kept asking himself, “Is it fun?”

Oh yes, that it is.

Mike Tilling

Readers may also be interested in:

The Boy Who Fell Into a Book premieres at Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough – News