Danny The Champion Of The World,
Brentwood Theatre, Brentwood, Essex
This small theatre, which was jam-packed
for the Civic Night, has a reputation for choosing very different
shows for its seasonal presentation. Roald Dahl's sympathetic tale of
a boy and his father running a country garage together and battling
whatever modern life throws at them, adapted by David Wood, isn't
gloomy in the least.
Whatever happens to them, Danny's Dad is
confident that things will work out somehow. Their very snug caravan
is a marvellously constructed triumph of minimalism that rotates
smoothly thanks to the well-rehearsed stage crew. This marvel, plus
the equally delightful practical miniature Austin Seven based on a
mobility scooter, plus all the other cars and set were built by Will
Trubridge, Iain Stewart, John Dobson, Robin Winder and John Gadd..
Director Ray Howes has inspired his
seven-strong cast to create a thoroughly heart warming production,
very simply and gently staged, yet full of laughter as well as “will
they make it or won't they?” for the audience.
Porl Matthews as our young hero finds
every scrap of youthful determination in the character while his wide
eyes help to tell his internal emotional tale, qualities that mask
his real life maturity. His Dad is played by Jackson Pentland who
gives a very natural performance of a true son of the soil and
poacher.
Their hated enemy is Mr Hazell, Lee
White's mannered proprietor of the estate who with his henchmen is
determined to get the little family out of their home. If I say that
Lee steals every scene he's in that's not a bad thing. Because with
his villain's thin moustache, natty tailoring, enormous eyes and
immaculate timing he is such an effective baddy.
Then on Danny's side there are tomboy
Charlie (Joelle Campbell), homely Mrs Clipstone (Elka Lee-Green) the
Vicar's wife, community leader Dr Spencer (Abi Taylor Jones) plus the
perfect bobby on his bicycle from Allen Watts.
Set design is by David Zelly who, with
lighting designer Paul Williams's star-spangled woodland, has created
such an excellently used acting space. Lynne Trubridge's good costume
designs hark back to a generalised Fiftyish sort of past while Porl Matthews
(who is a puppeteer in real life) has created flocks of realistic
chickens and pheasants with a genuine sense of humour of their own.
This quiet triumph, apart from when the
audience are being taught to be beaters for the shoot, runs for two
hours and five minutes including interval.
Mary Redman
