Following the success of the musical puppet comedy “Monster/Clock”, the Collapsing Horse theatre company returns to Smock Alley theatre with a cleverly executed production meant primarily for children, but by all means highly enjoyable for an older public, too.
The play centres on a bold child, Lelia, whose resistance to becoming a “grown-up” leads her to be lured into a magical world where her quirkiness is welcomed and embraced by three seemingly benevolent fairies. Promising Lelia that she will never have to go back to the real world, where weeping abounds, the fairies convince her to stay and play with them, but remain quiet about the unfortunate end that other human children before her have met, until…
“Human Child” draws on Irish mythology with a softened version of the myth of the changelings, and introduces some fascinating concepts – a particularly charming one being that of the kind blacksmith, who physically breaks the chains that hold together a broken heart, thereby allowing its owner to start loving again. The roles are entrusted to very capable hands of John Doran, Megan Riordan, Aoife Leonard and Manus Hannigan, who ensure that the production remains professional and carefully crafted throughout, alternating passionate acting with hilariously over-the-top facial expressions, singing, and dancing. The performances brim with energetic enthusiasm and warm witticisms – the former being utterly enchanting for the children, and the latter a playful nod to the adults in the audience – and the pace remains consistently fast and captivating.
A special mention goes to the unaccredited fifth protagonist, the stage itself, which effortlessly becomes as integral a part to the play as the characters, morphing and changing smoothly. As in “Monster/Clock”, the near-bare stage is a testimony to the talent of the crew: despite its simplicity (at a first glance, bordering on plainness) the swift, experienced moves of the cast and the skills of the lighting directors give way to a fascinating world that expands well beyond the Smock Alley setting. Children will undoubtedly be delighted by the mesmerising (and nicely executed) music and the glistening lights, and, thanks to the passionate and absorbing performances, will need little else to picture a world of fairies and talking bears.
But even the older members of the audience (who unfortunately may have long lost the fertile imagination that comes with childhood, and who wouldn’t normally be enthralled by a bunch of homemade puppets) will be amazed at the universe that naturally comes to life before their very eyes. Wooden boxes turn out to be surprisingly versatile; bedposts become the pillars of Lelia’s magical fort, only to then unravel at the hands of the fairies: suddenly, they are the sails of a sinking ship, and, later, a blue sky; the sea; and again, the foreign lands through which the story’s heroes travel on dragonback.
The play runs for one hour, and at the end, it is only unwillingly that one snaps out of Lelia’s enchanted world and to return to a disappointingly fairies-free reality. On the night of the premiere, at the exit of the theatre, two little girls in princess costumes were excitedly re-enacting one of the scenes; the faces of all the other children were gleaming with delight. And, unsurprisingly, the adults holding their hands were beaming too.
Human Child is running at Smock Alley Theatre until the 6th of July. Tickets are €10-15.
