There’s nothing quite like reviewing a school showing of a play, and the joy of seeing children taking their seats, watching the pre-show and wondering what’s about to happen. Sherman Theare and Tilt’s new co-production Balloon Girl has a pre-show countdown timer, relating to the spaceship launch that opens this drama. Some children were reaching out of their seats to discuss it with friends, and some decided they could do a 10-second countdown every minute on the minute. This was going to be a raucous crowd…
Balloon Girl follows Carol Ann Gaudron, a self-serving tech giant who’s about to send a randomly selected civilian to Mars. The young ghost of the ill-fated Louisa Maud Evans arrives to show Carol the error of her ways (much like, yes, A Christmas Carol) and stop her from sealing a fate of an innocent young woman. To try to prove her point, Louisa bounces Carol through history, helping her understand the history of her family; first come the peace-loving Vikings and oppressed Celts, before Carol finally meets with her great-uncle Auguste Eugene Gaudron – the man responsible for Louisa’s death.
Writer and director Hannah McPake understands what makes children tick. With bold set-pieces and dramatic flair, she holds the attention of her young audience throughout, eliciting screams when the stage goes black in tense moments and wild excitement when enormous Viking boats appears on-stage. By appealing to young people’s imaginations and their colourful inner worlds, she keeps children engaged with what is at points a rather complex plot. To that end, the plotting spreads itself a little thin: certainly, I found myself double-checking who was related to who and why were in specific locations.
In trying to demonstrate the Gaudrons’ historically selfish nature, Louisa shows Carol a Celtic slave pretend to be Boudica to win a chariot race. The Roman nobleman she works with cheats, and the slave wins despite her lack of training. The moment where she takes her freedom and his name is painted as a kind of class betrayal, which is perhaps not the position I would take on a desperately oppressed person trying to free themselves from persecution.
The beginning of the show is a little too ‘traditional theatre’ for rowdy school audiences, with little to stop them chatting and take notice of the plot – until 10 or so minutes in, when Louisa first appears onstage and starts controlling the space. This is an error a lot of shows make early on, and it comes down to needing a moment where characters enter and say – or imply – they’re taking the reins here. (I missed a lot of dialogue because of this background chatter; subtitles for video could have helped here, ditto upping performers’ mic levels.)
The cast in this team are fantastic. Mari Fflur is an absolute standout as the adorable Louisa Maud Evans, creating enormous pathos alongside joyous comedy moments, and Elin Phillips also commands the stage as Carol Ann Gaudron; having seen Phillips in children’s theatre before, she never fails to grab her audience. The rest of the team, too, create a weird and wonderful world with unique characters that young people really engage with. I’ve no doubt that this is a show that young audiences will remember, and something that will inspire young people to give theatre a go for themselves.
Balloon Girl, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, Thurs 15 Oct
On until Sat 24 Oct. Tickets: from £9. Info: here
words HARI BERROW photos KIRSTEN MCTERNAN
