The Instrumentals continues at the Little Angel Theatre, London until 16 April 2023.
Star rating: two stars ★ ★ ✩ ✩ ✩
Belle (Maya Manuel) is feeling sad at her grandfather’s wake. Struggling to understand why the rest of her family seem to be celebrating, she slips away to the cellar where she finds Grandpa’s collection of musical instruments.
Grandpa, we gradually realise, played in a band named The Instrumentals and met Grandma at a 1970s disco. The instruments, Cynthia the synthesizer, Kit the side drum and Cyril the cymbal talk to her, make music with her and try to make her see that she should treasure happy memories of her Grandpa rather than sinking into sadness. Elliot Liburd plays all the other parts.
Aimed at four to 11 year olds (an ambitiously wide age range) and inspired by the African-Caribbean diaspora, writer and director Mia Jerome’s show is clearly intended to help children recognise death as part of life and to learn to celebrate a life well lived.
It should, therefore, use the words “death” and “died” rather than the ghastly euphemisms “passing” and “passed away”. Moreover I was uncomfortable with the quasi-religious suggestion that Grandpa is in a “better place” reiterated a lot and pronounced “be’a” with a carefully articulated glottal stop.
Both actors are competent although Liburd’s very shouty microphone puppet gets wearisome. He’s much stronger as the young Grandpa in a glittery jacket falling in love with glamorous Grandma who is puppeted. I found the emergence of Grandma from a side stage dustbin a bit odd, though – almost creepy.
Manuel looks the part in her short dress and ankle socks, sings sweetly, and there’s a nice scene set in the 1970s disco when she learns the dance movements and shares them with the young audience.
Cal-l Jonel’s music catches the 1970s mood and includes some quite witty raps along with more lyrical numbers.
On the whole, however, this is a 45 minute show which tries too hard and does too much pussy-footing.
Susan Elkin
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.