The first of a series of popular picture books, The 13 Storey Treehouse now comes to the stage in a completely bonkers and wildly inventive production in the inaugural Wimbledon Children’s Festival.
It’s one of those productions with a false start. We are told there are “technical issues” before ‘Andy’ (Ryan Dulieu) and ‘Terry” (Edwin Beats) come on with torches to start their “rehearsals.”
They represent the writer and illustrator of the original book, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. As they explain to officious stage manager ‘Val’ (Elle Wootton), they haven’t actually written anything.
So – The 13 Storey Treehouse – their book – becomes the show. Got it? The treehouse itself is represented by a metal frame set in an approximation of a stage prosenium within a stage prosenium.
Andy and Terry describe their treehouse, which has now acquired a lemonade fountain as inspired, perhaps, by that infamous Willy Wonka experience.
Terry watches his favourite TV show about Barky the dog (cut-out animation), then conjures up and falls in love with a mermaid. He’s previously painted the neighbour’s cat yellow, so the ‘catnary’ can take off …
The plot doesn’t really count for much. There’s a machine that goes haywire, a few daft characters for Val to step in and play, There are bananas, bogeys, and big scary eyes.
Once it gets going – and the few minutes it takes may lose the attention of little ones – this adaptation by Richard Tulloch is very funny, and the acting trio are personable and game for a laugh.
Director Julian Louis and designer Mark Thompson keep proceedings ridiculous, while the puppet work is fun and the puns excruciating.
It’s also just a little bit naughty, enough for tots and tweens to stay entertained.
The 13 Storey Treehouse is on at New Wimbledon Theatre until 4 Aug – it then continues on tour to York, Manchester, Sunderland, and Woking. For details and ticket links, go here.
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Image credit: James D Morgan