The Animals & Children took to the streets - 1927, The Old Market, Brighton.

In response to 'The Animals & Children took to the street' by 1927, currently on a revival tour around Europe, I really don't want to mention multi media. Although now, admittedly, I have.  In much the same manner that if I went to see 'Abigail's Party' at the Theatre Royal and wouldn't moan 'Oh Gawd, not another proscenium arch, scripted show, hasn't that trend died yet.'
I am tired of the labelling of theatre by type, and rejecting anything other than or traditional or sometimes 'normal' as faddish and insubstantial. In the same manner that the form of naturalism has become so ubiquitous as to be invisible, I feel we are at a place now where we can assess the qualities of a piece irrespective of form and not define it good or bad because of it's theatrical format.  'The Animals and Children took to the street' is just a really good show. Take away the projections and it would remain a good show, they are the icing on the patisserie; together it all makes sense, without it, it still tastes good.

The story revolves around a young idealistic woman, Agnes Eve and her daughter Evie, who move into to Bayou Mansions bringing a touch of much needed hope to the life of its hilariously tragic caretaker and a new source of gossip to its bitter leopard print clad inhabitants. Initially intending to offer re-affirming pasta collage workshops to the unruly pirate children gangs, running riot through the town, Agnes and Evie soon find themselves embroiled in the bleak and opportunistic underside of the Bayou with only the caretaker and is patiently saved £777.77 (or is that euros?) to save them.

The cast of 1927 are excellent all round; physically and vocally skilled, they mould and tweak all sorts of quirky details into their characters, particularly Suzanne Andrade's shoulder shruggingly charismatic Russian entrepreneur and Esme Appleton's twitchy nosed daughter. The songs and script are full of finely crafted details, clever with their rhythms and laugh out loud in their  invention, I particularly want to praise the creator of 'Wayne the Rascist and his eight racist children' and the bathetic dialogue of the caretaker which reminded me of the best of the film noir pastiches and the last time I laughed out loud.

The company clearly excel at imagery, whether that be in visual or literary form, but there is also a strong sense of moral storytelling underneath as is the case with the best fairytales. They draw from old fashioned techniques, the shows title sounding like it had existed forever already. Yet their themes; highlighting the relentless gulf between the rich and poor, socities increasing tendency to drug children instead of channel their energies into something productive and the well meaning and ill conceived attempts by bleeding hearts who in the ugly face of real poverty can always retreat back to their home comforts. All topics as current and trendy as multi media, which I as I said before, I have no need to mention.