Created and choreographed by Natasha Gilmore, this mixture of dance, narrative and songs is a delight for children up to 5 years old. Poggle is a mischievous and cheeky woodland creature who befriends Vince who is scared of climbing trees. Together they explore the forest and eventually Vince overcomes his fears and he and Poggle become good friends.
At the Start, we are introduced to the welcoming Vince. Vince Virr as Vince throws himself head first into a box that represents his house. He finds some toast but finds his honey is all used up. He then sees a bee and follows it into the forest where he hopes to find honey for his breakfast. There he meets Poggle and their adventures begin.
It’s a simple show, but it really is a lovely piece of theatre that totally drew me in as well as the young audience who were engaged and gripped throughout. Fred Pommerehn’s ingenious set made up of a wall of boxes that becomes a bee hive, a tree, a hiding place for Poggle and even an art installation for the audience to look around at the end.
All three performers engage and work together to make this a magical treat. Jade Adamson as Poggle has just the right mix of fun and mystery. Poggle lives in the forest and is not scared of anything. She teaches Vince through dance and exploration that he can do anything he puts his mind to. On their adventures, they also meet the magical musical tree that Vince is too scared to climb.
Rory Haye adds to the show by playing all sorts of instruments including the clarinet, hand bells, and ukulele. The most lively sections of the show are made of rhythm and percussion on their own bodies as well as the set also becoming a drum kit. These moments certainly made the young audience dance along to the rhythms coming from the stage.
The composer, Daniel Padden has created a sensory soundtrack that utilises the show’s set and the dancer’s own bodies, but also summoning up moods and atmospheres. The rousing final track really got the audience involved and excited as well as being a lively platform for the final dance. The choreography is big and bold and the two dancers utilise the space to its fullest. They are perfectly in sync especially in the rhythmic sections when their expansive movements really got the audience going.
Natasha Gilmore has created a feel good, lively show that will engage and delight small audiences, as well as their families.
Cardiff Dance Festival: http://dance.wales/
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