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The National Children's Theatre production of the famous
story of rebellious childhood, Pippi Longstocking, is a hit with its young
audience.
THE set is fantastic, giving Pippi Longstocking some space
to play and climb like her monkey, Mr Nilsson, and swing on her couch that,
amazingly, is made from pieces of wood hanging on a chain.
Every child's hero, Pippi thwarts all in her way
Every child's hero, Pippi sleeps upside down; she outfights
policemen and thieves; she doesn't listen to adults; and she makes the social
worker, Mrs Prysselius, who wants to take her to a children's home and to
school, dance with her.
Pippi lives alone; her mother is dead and her father, a
pirate, disappeared after her mother's death. She assumes he, too, is dead,
having drowned in the ocean.
Striking up a firm friendship with her more conventional
neighbours, Tommy and Annika, Pippi is invited to their house where their
mother, Mrs Settergren, is entertaining the social worker.
Pippi turns up, wearing a ragged dress and filled with energy.
Never having learned manners, she gobbles up a big, fresh strawberry, which was
reserved for Mrs Prysselius.
Adventure
The three friends have plenty of adventures together, allowing for much
audience participation. When Pippi is invited to spend the day at school with
her friends, for example, she cannot answer when the teacher asks her the sum
of seven and five.
Children in the audience shout out, "Twelve, 12!" But Pippi
doesn't even care what the answer is.
She has loads of gold coins, left to her by her pirate
father, and she takes Tommy and Annika to the games arcade, where a thief tries
to steal her purse. In a flash, Pippi has him down with some banana and
spinning kicks.
Later, two policemen - Strong Man and Captain - come to take
her to the children's home. But she refuses to go, climbing to the top of her
house's veranda. She takes the ladder with her and Tommy hides the rope,
leaving the policemen stranded.
Everything is funny to Pippi, who makes jokes out of
everything. This humour is carried through the production, by the National
Children's Theatre. The play is filled with laughter, jokes, action and songs,
inviting the audience into the fantastical world of the mischievous,
adventurous and playful Pippi.
"The actors are all young, bright, and full of energy. The
play is jam-packed with colour and light and action and fun - but there's a
deeper meaning, too, and the lovely songs are really quite profound," says the theatre's
artistic director, Joyce Levinsohn.
Busloads of young children from the Cambridge Academy
primary school in Witbank agree.
Two learners, Kaylin Nioff and Charne Wenum, liked the play.
"It was very exciting. I like Pippi the most out of all the others [the cast],"
Kaylin said after watching it, spellbound.
The actors in the play are Trix Vivier, Andrea Shine, Andre
Lotter, Francois Theron, Megan Reeks, Mahlatse Kgoale, Kieran Harriman, Elrinda
du Toit and Elizma van Rensburg. Pippi Longstocking is on at the National
Children's Theatre until Saturday, 1 August.
During the government school term, performances are on
weekdays at 9am and 10.30am. During school holidays, performances are from
Mondays to Saturdays, at 10.30am and 2.30pm.
Tickets are R60 for children and R70 for adults. Block
bookings are available for schools, groups and birthday parties. Booking is
essential and can be made with Sue on 011 484 1584; tickets are also available
at Computicket on 083 915 8000.
The National Children's Theatre , which turns 20 this
year, is at 3 Junction Avenue,
in Parktown.
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