The Summer Book

When: Tuesday 10th June

 

Where: Unicorn Theatre

 

Why: Tove love

 

This was the first time I’ve ever been to a designated ‘children’s theatre’ as far as I know, and I did feel like a bit of a weirdo rocking up without a kid in tow. But the Unicorn is such a classy venue that I soon forgot myself - that, and the fact that there were way more adults than children in the audience anyway. It’s a beautiful space, with a bright and stylish atrium - no cliché wipe-clean surfaces and grubby plastic chairs, but a respectful and bold atrium that doesn’t patronise children. Which is fitting for a place showing a Tove Jansson piece. I was very impressed.

 

The Summer Book is a great story and beautifully written – I advise you to read it if you haven’t yet. It tells the story of a grandmother and her granddaughter Sophia, based on Jansson’s own mother Ham and niece Sophia – who I actually met at the Moomin film premiere (more on that in a later post!!) – and a summer they spent together on a small island. This stage version captured some of the quirkiness and inter-generational humour, but I think didn’t quite manage to perfectly get the poetry and energy of the book. But to be honest I think that would be almost impossible. There are some things that can’t be improved on and most of the magic of The Summer Book is in the writing.

 

It was played out in touching vignettes to create an overall impression of the anarchic island life from tiny moments, on an impressively simple stage of island rocks and a background set of the bedroom in the house. Our imagination was called upon at several points (for example grandma’s imaginary false teeth, and the fact that there weren’t many actual props in use), so that the whole undertaking felt like a game for the audience too, which was effectively carried off by the confident cast of two. Olivier award winner Sara Kestelman as the grandmother was glorious – conveying the grumpiness, rebellion, tiredness and wisdom of the older generation perfectly, her caustic remarks resounding well with the philosophical curiosity of Sophia, played alternately by Sammy Foster and Amy Snudden. I saw Sammy I think, whose levels of strop and unselfconsciousness were impressive, with only the smallest presence of stage-schooly precociousness. 

 

Their relationship was the strongest part of this stage version, and although overall it was a charming experience, it could have been more moving. I think in trying so hard to be subtle the play might have not done quite enough and lost a bit of energy. But the lighting and sound were gentle and simple, and essential to tie together the many scene swaps and bring in the strong sense of nature as its own force and really the third main character in this little tale.

 

Definitely glad I saw this though, and I would go back to the Unicorn in a heartbeat – just need to find a child to take with me next time!

 

Brixpig x