‘Up and Down‘ is a sequel to the Oliver Jeffers penned ‘Lost and Found’, a story about a boy and his friend the penguin. In this newer story, a now much loved children’s classic, the penguin has ideas about flying the nest and home he shares with the boy. He wants to learn to fly and nothing is going to stop him!
Will he fly a plane, parachute his way to flight freedom or run away and join the circus in the hope they can send him high into the sky! And what will happen to his friendship with the boy if he does eventually fly?
This lovely story with beautiful illustrations has been brought to life and adapted for the stage by Matt Aston for the Ga Ga Theatre Company and is currently playing at Picturehouse Cinemas across London until 3rd November!
We went to see it in Greenwich yesterday and it’s just delightful! With a backdrop using the cinema projector we see the familiar Jeffers illustrations and in front of them two very engaging actors play the part of the boy and the penguin.
The set!
Music, movement and minimilistic but well thought out props provide host to the story with the actors using their faces, body and some, but not many, words to demonstrate the tale. It’s very sweet and because the cinema is a much smaller environment than a traditional theatre we actually felt part of the story. Of course there are times when the actort do actually engage with the audience which the children loved and when a parachute is sent over the heads of everyone in the theatre it provoked much laughter and delight from the little ones.
My children really enjoyed it and I would say it is an especially good production for a first timer. A pair of small eyes visiting this as their first foray into the world of live theatre entertainment will be offered a very gentle and delicate introduction. Jimmy has been to the theatre many times but this is probably the first thing he and his sister have really enjoyed together. Usually we go to see things perfect for one or other of them but ‘Up and Down’ definitely enchanted both of them. It’s just the right length too, I made it about half an hour.
We had so much fin at ‘Up and Down’, Florence found a way of pretending to fly just like the penguin by squeezing in between the seat backs!
Well done Ga Ga Theatre Company, this is just wonderful and we shall surely be looking you up in the future!
Book tickets on line, prices are £12 per ticket with children under two going FREE. (I hear there are los of special deals to be had including a 30% discount offer for the Stratford showings this weekend using LittleBird.)
I have not been paid to write this post but I was offered complimentary tickets for the purpose of review.
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