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Each year the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury hosts two shows for the festive season: the legendary pantomime (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for 2025) and an original piece of theatre for younger children in the Studio venue. The latter usually has a running time of 1 hour and is slightly more relaxed in format, sometimes with the opportunity to engage with the performers ahead of the show, allowing young children to settle into the surroundings. This year Tutti Frutti Productions are the visiting company, bringing an adaptation of Aesop’s fable ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’ to the venue this Christmas, which has been written by Brendan Murray and directed by Wendy Harris. I recently had the opportunity to watch ‘Hare and Tortoise’ and share my thoughts on this year’s Studio theatre offering.
Background
‘Hare and Tortoise’ is an extended version of the fable that sees the energetic Hare (Jonny Mills) learn some life lessons from the more experienced and worldly Tortoise (Holly Mimi Bernice). With the support of Time (Elizabeth Robin), the story follows these characters through the seasons. In an attempt to encourage Hare not to be so hasty, Tortoise makes Hare wait for the race and spends the time showing them the little things in life, such as the changes in the leaves and enjoying a picnic in the sunshine. The show is aimed at 3+ years and where the material is light on narrative, the underlying messages still continue to shine through. It is a show centring on the theme of patience and features narration, original songs (Dominic Sales) and animated performances.
Visual design
Standout elements are Catherine Chapman’s colourful costume design and vibrant set. The combination of these creative elements transports audiences to a whimsical world, where the locations feel as if they have come straight out of a children’s picture book. Tortoise and Hare also aren’t in full animal costumes, with the designer instead electing to utilise a set colour palette and accessories such as ears (Hare) and a particular type of hat (Tortoise) to highlight who they are. This alongside Time’s multicolour costume is a welcome addition, which contributes to the warm atmosphere on stage.
Slow and steady, but worth the wait!
The pacing is slow in places and at times you are waiting patiently for the big race, but it was fun to see how Tortoise teased Hare into learning to be patient. The lively music and memorable characters will entertain young audiences and the important lessons for the future make it quite the educational piece too. You can catch ‘Hare and Tortoise’ at the Marlowe until Wednesday 31st December, with tickets available via the theatre’s website.
*My ticket for ‘Hare and Tortoise’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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