Review: WOW! SAID THE OWL, Little Angel Theatre

Little Angel Theatre’s adaptation of Tim Hopgood’s much loved picture book offers a tender and imaginative introduction to theatre for the very young. Directed and adapted by Joy Haynes, this one woman show uses puppetry, music and inventive staging to guide children aged two to five through a bright world of colour which is seen through the eyes of a curious baby owl.

Performed gracefully by Lizzie Wort, the set acts as a clever area to be draped in colour and house special colourful props as a storytelling space. Wort invites the audience into the owl’s world with an engaging warmth, gently interacting with the audience immediately by encouraging children to look at an image of an owl, and search for her little owl gently. The owl puppet itself is beautifully realised, with both a small puppet and a miniature version which perches on a ukulele and delights with a comical rotating head.

Beautiful music by Dominic Sales is sprinkled throughout, with instrumental accompaniments in the form of the ukulele, triangle and even xylophone notes punctuating the story. Gentle songs about moon shadows, the daytime sky and the cycle from dawn to dusk are effective, giving young audiences something to connect to. Particularly charming are the soft xylophone dings, enhancing the sound elements.

The show’s visual design is striking. Fiammetta Horvat’s set and Keith Frederick’s puppet design make clever use of fabric and props to evoke colour and transformation. Fabric and shadow work become birds in flight, exciting shoots of green emerge from a ukulele, and a cloud puppet with a grumpy face devours greenery before declaring blue the pudding. This playful villain strikes just the right balance, keeping the drama engaging without tipping into anything frightening.

Highlights include the vivid yellow sun, which metaphorically glows with warmth and energy, and the finale in which satin strips are revealed to form rainbow colours and a midnight cloak of rainbow lights is received with gasps of delight. The gentle introduction that the colours surrounding the baby owls nest creates visual wonder which holds the young audience in shared awe.

The pacing is appropriately unhurried, keeping the children absorbed. The show is attuned to its audience, allowing space for curiosity and excitement to bloom naturally.

Wow! Said the Owl is a delicate and enchanting piece of early years theatre. It nurtures wonder through colour, song and shadow play while grounding the story in the simple question of what makes the world beautiful. The playful look at daytime discovery, closes by affirming the magic of the night sky calmly.

Wow! Said the Owl’ is at Little Angel Studios and runs until 8 November