The Borrowers, The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster
Until December 31
The Christmas show at The Dukes rarely disappoints. The theatre has built a solid reputation for creative and engaging productions that blend warm family fun with witty wordplay and inventive sets.
And this year’s show demonstrates all that perfectly.
It’s an adaptation of the classic Mary Norton children’s novel about a family of tiny people who live beneath the floorboards and borrow items from the ‘human beans’ who live above.
The Dukes production is just shy of two hours (including an interval) but there was no loss of attention or enthusiasm from the younger audience members on the night we were there.
There’s songs in a variety of styles, there’s audience participation, there’s lots of laughs, clever props and a great set.
The show is narrated by Howard Chadwick as Eddie (in full-on Ricky Tomlinson mode) as he returns to visit his foreboding Aunt Val and the home where, as a 10-year-old, he met The Borrowers.
Claire Storey, as the cleaning obsessed Aunt Val, is the pantomime baddie, with Matthew Heywood as Young Eddie. The heroes of the piece are the Clock family, The Borrowers who must escape when the Exverminator is called – Darren Jeffries and Katie Erich as parents Pod and Homily and Amy Tara as Arrietty.
For years the Christmas show was staged in the round, but in the last couple of years it’s been in the main auditorium and the cast make use of the whole room so everyone feels close to the action.
But the real star of the show is set and costume designer Richard Foxton. His clever folding set creates the atmosphere of the under-the-floorboards world without being overly fussy and transforms into the garden and Aunt Val’s Lancaster home.
The show follows the great tradition of Dukes Christmas shows – there's warmth, nostalgia, singing and dancing, and lots of fun. And everyone left with a smile on their face.
For tickets, go to tinyurl.com/dukeslancaster-theborrowers or call The Dukes Box Office on 01524 598500.
