Oh, to be a child again to revel in the whimsical artifice of this adaptation of the much-loved Dutch children's book, Ophelia's Shadow Theatre, by The Netherlands' Het Filiaal. Through ingenious usage of silhouette puppetry and cardboard models, the youngsters in attendance today are rendered almost catatonic with wonder for the entire 45 minutes. This is no mean feat, as 45 minutes of adult concentration mathematically equates to roughly six hours of toddler equivalent. There are simple yet profound life lessons to be gleaned by all ages from this quirky, heart-warming little tale, charting the life of Ophelia, who dreams of becoming a critically acclaimed darling of the theatrical stage. The two-person show stars Mirthe Klieverik as Ophelia, along with director Ramses Graus, and sees the pair take on multiple roles as well as stage hand duties – an inspired touch that while entertaining also educates the little ones about stage production. The pace of the play is dizzying and with never a dull moment the audience is expertly drawn into Ophelia's world. The accompanying classical/jazzy soundtrack has been ideally chosen to blend with the action, and certain cinematic techniques such as montages and fast-forwarded motion are used to both dramatic and hilarious effect. Not just for kids, Miss Ophelia is a delight for the inner child in us all.
Arts Centre, Fairfax Studio (finished).
