IT IS NOW becoming a tradition that the Birmingham REP offers young children an alternative to the panto frolics happening on the main stage.
Last year it was the wonderful ‘Snowflake’ story with the USP of being for babes in arms to eight-year-old festive magic believers. Although this year is billed as being for four to eight-year-olds, the youngest member of the press afternoon launch was a 12 day old baby, who lasted the course but may have slept a bit.
It’s a far cry from snowflakes as we are invited to sit under the canopy of a banyan tree and experience the laugh-out-loud West African and Caribbean tales of the infamous ‘Anansi the Spider’. Why not indeed? Who wouldn’t swap beak midwinter for a balmy day in the Caribbean sun.
‘Anansi The Spider’ is a joyful celebration of Caribbean storytelling, bursting with rhythm, colour and meaning. Drawing on traditional Anansi fables, the production weaves together music and songs by Duramaney Kamara, movement by Asha Jennings-Grant and spoken word written by Justin Audibert to bring these much-loved tales vividly to life.
Picture by Helen Murray. s
The cast consist of Cynthia Emeagi, Becky Sanneh and Elizabeth Peace; three multi-talented actor/narrators who unite perfectly to tell the stories.
Designer Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey’s set is plain yet wonderfully vibrant, using bold colours and a simple tree design to create a flexible storytelling space. Rather than overpowering the action, the minimal staging allows the performers and stories to remain firmly at the centre.
The music is not just accompaniment – it becomes another storyteller, shaping mood, tension and grounding the performance firmly in Caribbean culture.
The Anansi fables themselves are full of humour, trickery and clever lessons. Children delighted in Anansi’s mischief, while adults appreciated the deeper messages; we could all learn a thing or two from Anansi. It really does capture the real spirit of Christmas where people of all cultures unite to share feelings of peace and goodwill to all folk.
My five-year-old Grandson Jacob, his mum Olivia and me all contributed to this review and recommend it as a Christmas treat for all those under eights and their mums and dads. It’s a laugh-a-long tingly-tangly 50 minutes of joy.
Anansi the Spider runs at the Birmingham REP until January 11, Click here for times, tickets and more information.
