Agency by William Gibson 
Popular children’s author David Walliams’ character Awful Auntie made an appearance at The Regent Theatre, in Hanley, this week with the stage show of the book.
Massively popular with children, a number of Walliams’ books have been transformed into stage shows – and it was Awful Auntie’s turn at The Regent last week.
The dialogue-centric books make the stage show reliant on the skills of the actors, with the strong characters driving the storyline. While all of the action takes place within a small set with the actors bringing the story to life.
Annie Cordoni as Stella, Matthew Allen as the ghost Soot, Frankie Oldham as Gibbons the servant, and Zain Abrahams as Aunt Alberta all did a fantastic job of conveying the much loved story to the captive young audience, inhabiting the characters excellently. Meanwhile Emily Essery commandeered Wagner the owl across the stage.
For those unfamiliar with the story Awful Auntie is the tale of a sinister aunt’s plot to get her hands on the family’s stately mansion. With her long suffering niece been caught up in her evil plan. Thankfully Soot the ghost appears at the right time to help 12-year-old Stella escape.
With that as the basic premise the flamboyant storytelling of Walliams turns the tale into a comic overblown caper, full of dark twists, that makes the stories so well loved by children. The set is used to great effect being cleverly turned into different parts of the house to keep the story moving.
Filled with laugh out loud parts, a sprinkling of toilet humour and exaggerated characteristics, the show was a great hit with the family audience. Drawing heavily on Roald Dahl’s influence the play is in the vein of that chaotic, heavily characterised and captivating style of storytelling.
These shows are always a great example of how children (and their parents) can enjoy the theatre without worrying about the need to be unreasonably quiet, instead asking questions about the storyline and laughing out loud, all of which added to the great atmosphere.
Very much for children it was given a 10 out of 10 rating from the younger viewer in tow.
While the show was only in Stoke-on-Trent for two night families will be able to enjoy Chitty Chitty Bang Bang from Tuesday, October 22 to Sunday, October 27.
CNM
