Little Cauliflower: Street Dreams

Little Cauliflower: Street Dreams

Little Cauliflower: Street Dreams

From the opening sequence of Street Dreams it’s clear that this is puppetry with conviction. Fluffy white bags (birds, clouds, kites, ra-ra skirts?) fly rapidly across the stage. The same energy is felt when banana skins buzz into action.

In contrast, the story of Street Dreams is meandering. A gentleman puppet with a gently quizzical expression wanders through a littered street scene. He is transported by a tatty black umbrella cum boat, tries some deep-sea diving, reads a book onshore, and is finally whisked away in a purple love balloon. The programme notes say he is just looking for ‘some peace and quiet’.

Lovely visual twists include when the old man cleans his armpits with a toothbrush or scratches his bald head with a hairbrush. The live music on harmonica, banjo, accordion and flute adds richness to the texture, and there is a nice moment when the musician gets carried away himself. The design, from the turf patchwork to illuminated jellyfish, is careful and coherent.

On the negative side, the pace is uneven, with slow sections. The plot has an underwhelming if charming side. Sometimes the manipulation of the main puppet leaves him too hunched up, bent double. The piece is perhaps gently derivative instead of trying to be wildly different.

However, Little Cauliflower Theatre Co are startlingly young. This is really quite a remarkable production for a well-balanced group hardly out of university, and they look set for some interesting travels.

www.littlecauliflower.co.uk