Lyngo theatre egg and spoon

Egg and Spoon

REVIEWS

‘Suitable for even the shortest attention spans.’ The New York Times

Seasonal adjustments and the joy of being alive.

It's not only the police who're getting younger; it's theatre audiences too. Lyngo Theatre's piece is far from alone in its 1-3 age range. Neither the formalities of theatre nor a progressive story are appropriate for its near-infant audiences, who sit on a circle of cushions with their accompanying adults.

In itself it provides social interaction, safe with a parent or relative but engaging cooperatively with others. Even in a nursery performance, there's the gain of being guided through individual participation in a group experience. And events don't have to bounce along. There's interest enough in a single state of being. Objects hold a fascination, and as the piece proceeds through the seasons, taking day and night into account, there are plenty of opportunities to experience birds, flowers, butterflies, grass and puddles formed by mirrors.

Proceeding gently (there's never a blackout) audience members have the chance to blow autumnal leaves away, make rain sounds and birdsong, fly wire-attached feather butterflies and plant grass. Some may hardly have experienced the turning of the seasons, and the changes will still fascinate experienced 3-year olds.

Patrick Lynch guides audience members; even his few comments aimed at adults don't exclude the young, but seek a complicity, binding everyone into involvement as the performers (Elena Marini also contributing atmospheric violin music) co-create the wide world in their circle.

While the petals, grass and ingenious little tubes creating birdsong focus attention, most important is the company's ability to work at a pace and with a simple directness that gains genuine responses and involvement from very young people; there's none of that terrible incomprehension and boredom which too often comes from ill-thought through audience participation - the very young are never taken for granted.

Egg and Spoon resonates with its audiences because it views the world as the fascinating series of phenomena it appears in early years. There's nothing to frighten, everything to enjoy, right up to the final moment when (without a spoon in sight) the egg hatches and a new chick emerges to greet the audience, and the world. www.reviewsgate.com

UNDER FIVES THEATRE REVIEW Egg And Spoon

There have been books written about the impact and transformative power of children's theatre, and years ago I had some involvement with Waterford Arts For All Children's Theatre, but in Garter Lane, at a morning show, I was transported to a magical place. The acclaimed UK Lyngo Theatre performed their interactive show Egg And Spoon for the Under 5s (accompanied by an adult). The simplicity of the setting belied the levels of preparation for a magical circle, a stage cloth that looked like a yellow clay floor, with small hession cushions shaping the circle. Two actors, Percy and April, welcomed the audience and blew white puff balls into the sky. Soft tinkly, glockenspiel music played, and it was gentle, welcoming and exciting. There was an arch of leaves and lights, and the story was to create a Garden, over four seasons and experience the gifts of nature, and to share a whole year in forty-five minutes.

The actors distributed the props, bags of the voices of birds, spring rolls of cloth containing beds of flowers wrapped in a cloth of sleep. There were two butterflies on twisty wires. Hands made the sounds of rain, and shiny discs were handed out for puddles, along with bags of grass, but the prop of props were two-sided blankets, yellow for daylight and dark with stars for night. There were moon cushions, sunshine cushions and fluffy cloud cushions, and an umbrella that kept one person dry and allowed rain to fall on the other. I was captivated and felt part of an exploration, a journey in theatre and makebelieve.

In a nest Birdy lived in a pulsating, lighted shell, waiting for Spring to return. There was a beautifully constructed tree where branches and leaves slotted in so well, and the children could blow the leaves from the branches, and play 'splash' in the circular puddles. There was a time to dream under a nighttime blanket and dream about floppy cloth fish with floppy tails. There was snow in winter, and the gentle creation of fluffy white motes created such a magical effect.

Then it was flowers for breakfast, butterflies to take on walks, and cherry blossoms to float in the wonderment. Then Birdy hatched and went around the circle greeting the audience,

I believed it all and felt rejuvenated, and at peace with the world and the world of theatre. The actors were: Adam Jessop and Zoe Greenfield.

Garter Lane has an impressive brochure listing events for the Bealtaine Festival as have the Library Service in Waterford.

COMMENTS

Brought Dottie to see Egg and Spoon, a magical play for under 5's by Lyngo yesterday. Each elemen cleverly produced and engaged the kids throughout. Dottie loved the interaction with Percy and April. Looking forward to their return !!

We watched Egg and Spoon in Birmingham at Touchbase Pears today and it was just wonderful - the best children's theatre we've seen!

We saw egg and spoon at the Sherman theatre back in April and it was incredible.

Saw it in Garter Lane and it was captivating, imaginative, interactive and magical. There was a caring, gentle approach that reassured adults/parents and fascinated children. It brought back memories of Arts For All Children’s Theatre.

Had another lovely trip, this time to see Egg and Spoon. Highly recommended, even my 6 year old thoroughly enjoyed himself (as did hubby!)
We will definitely be back to see more of your productions!

Absolutely incredible performance today of 'egg and spoon' it was a totally immersive theatre experience- my 3 year old was mesmerized and cannot stop talking about it! (And throwing around the 'cherry blossoms' that I must keep in my pocket) I cannot recommend it highly enough- thank you!

What a magical show Egg and Spoon is! Thank you for such an engaging piece of theatre for young children and their parents. FB

I saw your 11.30 performance of “Egg and Spoon” at ***** to-day with my grandson, Sam, who is 4.

We both loved it. I worked in the industry and think that this is easily the best production I have ever seen for the Low to the Ground age group and I’ve been watching theatre for children for 50 years. The setting is perfect with appropriate music and lighting for the age group. The props are imaginative and fascinated the children. The dialogue is delightful. People bang on about stimulating the imagination of children. You do it in spades. It takes such care and talent and time to produce such apparently simple theatre for children. (personal email)

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