Future imperfect: Charlie Ashanti (Martins Imhangbe). Photo credit: Mark Douet
Play: Lion Boy
Theatre: Tricycle Theatre
Playwright: Marcelo Dos Santos
Directors: Clive Mendus and James Yeatman
Review by Natalie Gormally
Award-winning theatre company Complicite’s Lionboy is an ambitious adaption of Zizou Corder’s popular trilogy about a boy called Charlie Ashanti who can speak to cats – large and small.
The story is set in an undisclosed future world, overrun by pollution, where only the incredibly wealthy drive cars and phones are powered by the sun. It is also a future world where big corporations, such as the pharma giant The Corporacy, have more power than countries.
One day Charlie (Martins Imhangbe) returns to find that his scientist parents, who are developing a cure for the world’s escalating asthma problems, have been kidnapped by The Corporacy.
Rafi Sadler (Angel Lopez-Silva), The Corporacy’s hard-man, unsuccessfully tries to abduct Charlie. After Charlie escapes to find his parents, he finds himself entangled in a fascinating adventure that includes nothing less than a travelling circus and their six captured lions he sets out to free, a hot air balloon ride to Africa, a trip on the Orient Express with a helping hand along the way from the King of Bulgaria.
Charlie’s expertise in the language of cats comes in handy as they help eventually help guide him to The Corporacy’s headquarters, where he comes face to face with the sinister CEO (played by actor and joint director Clive Mendus) and his plans to increase profits with no thought of the consequences.
Marcelo Dos Santos has managed to cram this trilogy into two hours (including an interval) which at times feels like there is a lot of story to get through so quickly. The fact that the characters narrate most of the story instead of the dialogue may be intentional to enable the young audience members to follow (the show is billed for eight years and above).
The show also delivers some of its more complex topics in a smart and attention grabbing manner, including a boxing match where ideas about ethics and competition are exchanged rather than physical blows.
Martins Imhangbe is a strong and charismatic lead who captures Charlie’s youthful energy well. He is supported by an equally solid and multi-talented cast and between them, directors Clive Mendus and James Yeatman treat us to a spectacle of music, dance and circus acrobatics.
Lisa Kerr makes an impression, playing a range of characters and delighting the audience with her trapeze artist skills, while Angel Lopez-Silva raises a few laughs with his misplaced swagger as The Corporacy’s not-so-hard man Rafi.
Music plays a huge part in the production’s charm and composer Stephen Hiscock kicks off the show off with a bang (literally), playing drums and an astonishing array of percussions throughout the piece.
Jon Bausor’s set design is understated elegance, while a powerful assortment of sound effects and an inventive use of LCD screens and props, such as ladders becoming boats, bring the story to life in the most magical way.
Lionboy is a good family alternative for those keen to avoid panto this season. Magical and totally enthralling, it will suit any age.
Lion Boy is at the Tricycle Theatre until 10 January 2015.