Cracking Christmas adventure at Oxford's Burton Taylor Studio

Crumple’s Christmas Adventure at the Burton Taylor Studio, Oxford Playhouse. From December 8 to 31. Review by JON LEWIS

Tarek Merchant, music director of the National Theatre’s production of Hex, has written and composed a delightful new show for children, Crumple’s Christmas Adventure.

Directed by Katy Costigan, who has developed an expertise in children’s shows, the entertainment begins in the foyer.

The hall and bar are decked out as a forest where a lumberjack (Elizabeth Dobson) encourages children to play with props.

Everyone is called into the theatre and asked to notice the sounds of birdsong coming from the speakers.

With most of the audience now sitting on cushions on the floor of the Burton Taylor Studio, two more lumberjacks engage in banter with the children, asking them what their favourite tree is and what animals live in a forest.

Gradually the actors begin to weave their story which begins with the trainee lumberjack (Peter Pearson) carting logs of wood for his supervisor (Charlotte Grayson).

The wood that the lumberjacks cut eventually becomes the paper that we wrap our Christmas presents in. We throw much of this away, and by magic, this paper has become a living puppet.

The hero of the story, Crumple, is a delightful patchwork creation (designer, Annie Brooks) whose downturned mouth is destined to be reversed into a smile at the end of the show.

Crumple emerges from a recycling bin to enter the world as the star of the drama. The songs that drive the story are witty and clever, with the actors playing a banjo and violin.

Crumple’s mission is to travel to the forest where the trees grow in a fun version of the creation myth.

Being paper thin, and endangered by water and fire, he overcomes problems with the help of a guardian angel, an owl and a font of wisdom.

The audience is invited to contribute with their voices, pantomime-style, to help Crumple achieve his aims. With projections, paper decorations given to the audience and a crumpled paper fight, there’s plenty to keep young audiences entertained during the 45-minute production.

The cast, unwell before Christmas, were thankfully recovered, resulting in happy smiles and enthusiastic applause.