Originally published by L.S. Media. March 27th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Celia Adams, Akiya Henry, Richard Holt, Katie Moore, Sophie Waller, Stewart Wright, Greg Barnett, Francesca Bradley, Neal Craig, Adrian Garratt, Alison George, Hilary Tones, Jon Trenchard.

Every so often a production comes along that when all is said and done is nothing short of charming and brilliantly executed. Nothing more, nothing less! Arthur Ransome’s classic children’s adventure Swallows and Amazons is one such play.

Anybody who goes along fearing on how the creative team behind this play, which first performed at the Bristol Old Vic in 2010/2011, would envisage the sense of the dramatic which flows through every word of the much loved tale, needn’t worry. Suffice to say that the musical written with great care by Helen Edmudson and Neil Hannon will, like the wonderful production of The 39 Steps leave those fortunate to catch this play smiling throughout and willingly suspending disbelief for the entire show.

Set in the years between the two world wars, Swallows and Amazons looks at the life of six children who became friends after an initial skirmish on the water and on a deserted island. The carefree times when it was permissible to let your children to grow up, have fun without phoning them every five minutes to see if they are o.k. was captured beautifully and may have appeared a little strange to some younger members of the audience to see how a child’s imagination can overcome even the most scariest of situations.

There should be praise to every member of the incredible cast, from the players who shifted the set, provided the water for the scenes on the Swallow and played Neil Hannon’s score with deep appreciation to the actors playing the Walker and Blackett siblings.  Akiya Henry’s portrayal of Titty Walker and Sophie Waller’s passionate display as Peggy Blackett was an absolute to behold.

There can’t be that many popular musicians that have been specially commissioned to produce a score for the theatre, but the Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon is no ordinary musician. His music is described as Baroque-pop and the creator of elegant and thoroughly entertaining songs such as The Lost Art of Conversation, Come Home Billy Bird and The Pop Singer’s Fear of the Pollen Count feels incredibly at home within the setting of a major theatre and even though performed by the cast, every essence of the imagination that that mixed Helen Edmundson’s impressive script, the charm of Arthur Ransome’s much loved characters and the almost effortless nature an exceedingly great cast were captured perfectly by Neil’s score.

Swallows and Amazons is only on at the Playhouse for a few days but the story will surely resonate forever.

Ian D. Hall