A leisurely stroll through the park is the perfect way to begin the experience ofPaperbelle. Frozen Charlotte’s charming production is hidden away in the botanical gardens – a long walk from the city centre, but worth the pilgrimage in order to enter such a delightful story for 2-5 year-olds.
We are asked to remove our shoes before we enter Paperbelle‘s world – a paper room, the furniture and walls all seemingly hand drawn, a world without colour. We sit on cushions and stools, immersed in the production, and watch in delight as solo performer Stanley Pattison introduces us to Paperbelle, a simple line drawing of a girl. She pops up all over the set, operated by a puppeteer behind the scenes while guitarist Ben Talbot-Dunn provides a beautiful underscore.
The story is simple, Pattison plays happily with Paperbelle as they slowly discover colour. It infringes on their monochrome world in a wonderfully playful way as the interactive set comes alive across three walls. Blue water fills up the fish bowl all by itself on one side; across the room the sun turns itself a bright yellow in a picture on the wall. The surprises keep coming and inspire wonder in the audience; never have I witnessed an audience so young so enraptured by theatre.
There could have been a touch more narrative in the piece, and it could have had a simple message for the older kids and adults to enjoy on a slightly more cerebral level. However, for the audience it is aimed at it is indisputably an incredibly effective piece of theatre.
The simple and playful nature of the style, the gentle music and Pattison’s charming performance makes the production surprisingly touching. At the end, when all the colours have entered the world and the set is transformed, Pattison asks the children to examine the cushions they are sitting on. I watched as the children took off the white cushion covers and discovered that their cushions were actually brightly coloured. The way this included them in the show and the pure innocent joy they displayed in this simple discovery brought a tear to my eye.
If you have young children I cannot recommend this production enough. If you don’t, I would still insist you witness this delightful show, a joyful celebration of wonder.