Review: THE VELVETEEN RABBIT, Sadler's Wells

The Velveteen Rabbit is a story which needs little introduction, and which retains wide appeal. This retelling by Ben Crompton for balletLORENT pops with life as a man reacquaints himself with childhood toys, notably a beloved rabbit. Aimed at a family audience, this is a delightful way to while away an afternoon.

We find ourselves in an abandoned playroom, designed by Nasir Mazhar. Into this space, where boxes and cupboards allow quick and easy access for the characters, different toys appear as the man recalls them. A wise old skin horse, a haughty mechanical princess and soldier, a robot, and, of course, the rabbit.

It's easy to discount the power of childhood play and invention, but Liv Lorent's choreography goes with Crompton's script to create something special and nostalgic. Natalie McGillivray's rabbit suggests the free movement of a soft toy and the quick reactions of a real rabbit.

As the man succumbs to nostalgia - a sequence around astronautics is particularly good, the Velveteen Rabbit just wants to feel love and companionship again. As this show is subtitled "how toys become real", it isn't too much of a stretch to feel she will get her wish.

Music composed and played by Murray Gold and Albie Crompton is pleasingly toe-tapping, and fits each dancer and their movement. Toby Fitzgibbons brings a cheeky lethargy to his Ragdoll while adopting a military bearing for the Soldier; Barta Admetlla is convincing as both cymbal-playing Monkey and a bundle of sniffling, woofing fur as Dog.

The other dancer, Virginia Scudeletti, has the roles of Skin Horse, stretching and searching, Playroom Fairy, and the snooty Pink Dolly, each time superbly costumed by Mazhar.

Havin Coward's duet pieces with MacGillivray's Rabbit dominate both story and stage. For the child audience, the play can feed their own relationships with their toys; for adults there is a dose of reality as we remember what this simpler world was like.

A lovely show for all the family which should not be missed in celebration of balletLORENT's 30th year!

The Velveteen Rabbit was at Sadler's Wells, Lilian Baylis Studio

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