Having just seen Way Back Home in an intimate theatre seated on the floor we then saw Travelling Light’s version of Lost and Found inside a theatre with traditional tiered seating. I was worried the children might have been a bit detached from the action but I needn’t have been. The boy (who unlike the last show now had an Irish accent, try explaining that to a three year old!) and the staging was wonderful, with a series of tubs and a ball becoming everything from stepping stones to the lost and found office. Again the gem was the penguin though who, from the first time he opened his mouth (‘squawk!’) had the audience in stitches. Be warned, my children could be heard squawking to each other at 9pm last night. This is seriously addictive stuff!
The show had fantastic sound effects which added real dramatics. Torin turned to look behind him at the sound of a ship going past. The puppets were a real joy. The show played with scale, with a ‘mini’ boy having a bubble bath whilst asking his duck where penguins come from and a ‘micro’ boy and penguin sailing the wide sea together in a tiny boat. The children were mesmerised by this and not confused by the fact the ‘big’ characters operated their own puppets. I was just a little disappointed they hadn’t managed to find a giant umbrella, big enough for both adult characters to sit in!
The version we saw was 45 minutes long and both children sat spellbound throughout. It’s recommended for over threes but the company also do a shorter 30 minute version for toddlers (one to two years) at some venues which is ideal for parents trying the theatre with their little ones for the first time.
The show’s last dates are this week in Bristol, but keep an eye Travelling Light’s website for future tours.
Torin’s favourite bit: the penguin of course, especially when he got tangled up in the sellotape. My favourite bit: The puppet boy having a bath whilst the penguin blew bubbles. Really magical!
Now of course we only need the missing link, How to Catch a Star and my son’s absolute favourite book ever. He loves it so much he requested it as the theme for his third birthday party. There was a stage version at the Polka Theatre in 2009 but it’s sadly not on at the moment. If only we could do requests …
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