I treated my godson to his first trip to the theatre for a performance of Boing! by Bristol’s Travelling Light Theatre Company which has been entertaining audiences around the world for nine years.
Watching the wonderment on his face was a joy to see as we walked into the Bristol Old Vic’s Weston Studio and saw a double bed on a floor covered in colourful scribbles and doodles.
The smiles never left his face (or mine) as Wilkie Branson and Kel Metsana treated us to the story of two boys who hang up their stockings and try to get to sleep on Christmas Eve.
But their delirious excitement in anticipation of Santa’s arrival is such that they just can’t resist jumping on the bed and getting up to all sorts of fun and games.
In a wonderful 50 minutes of dance theatre, the sheets turn into a boat, a teddy becomes a super hero’s arch enemy and the lights go down to show off some super impressive illuminated breakdancing.
The giggles from the young audience were constant and catching a teddy and throwing it back to the actors was a major highlight of my mini companion’s afternoon.
The soundtrack in this deaf-friendly show directed by Sally Cookson is brilliant and Branson and Metsana’s energy is infectious. They throw themselves around so much that I imagine the bed is used for a proper nap when the audience leaves!
Aimed at children aged 2-7, Boing! is a fantastic introduction to theatre. I normally can’t stand it when people laugh too loudly or chat during a show but this time, it just added to the fun.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Boing! is at Bristol Old Vic until 5 January 2020.
Images by Cam Adams.
