Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * *
In every season, in all great and interesting art, there must always come a small blip in the fabric of performance; so much so that the only real and humane thing to do is to treat it as perhaps filler between the good stuff. Not everything appeals all the time, not everything immediately grabs you by the scruff of the neck and shouts proudly down your ear-hole, “Adore me.”
As good as Bill Willingham’s writing is and his overall story line is in Fables, Arabian Nights (And Days) is one of the less compelling structured narratives available in the ark and only really comes alive in the extra add on story of The Ballad of Rodney and June.
Every culture has its tales of heroism, its points of legends and allegories in which to comfort to those needing inspiration and make wary of those in a position of power. It is what drives us from childhood, the power of the story to motivate and encourage, to hold in your hearts what to expect when the chips are so down that you treat the whole potato to a night out to alleviate the symptoms. Yet, even with the stirring stories that make up the world of the Middle East, easily rivalling anything that Scandinavia, North America, the Far East and the U.K. has to offer, it feels as though that bringing into the story so far tales of Genie’s and Sinbad is more of a back-handed compliment to the tales themselves rather than actually being of any service to the complete arc.
Where the main story does excel is in the way that the Fables of New York are seen in part to not be as decent as they are painted. Secrets, necessary for a good order, are taken advantage of and in the dealing of Boy Blue who risked his life undercover to find out the truth behind Gepetto and life under the Emperor, those secrets are fully utilised and show the reader that a spy is often treated worse by his own people than those he sets out to infiltrate and walk amongst.
Otherwise, unfortunately, Arabian Nights (And Days) has as much charm as a snake in basket that turns out to be a draught excluder tempted by a kazoo, a filler perhaps with some nice touches but ultimately unsatisfying.
Fables: Arabian Nights (And Days) is available to purchase from Worlds Apart on Lime Street, Liverpool.
Ian D. Hall