[Fringe Review] Struwwelpeter
* * 1/2
In 1847 Dr. Hoffmann published his view on that which children’s literature should be. shockingly educational.
Eager to see how such pedagogical insanity could be adapted to a politically correct present, I ran to see this show, book in hand. Introduced by a recording of the original German, the five young actors delivered the verse over an ironically childlike interpretation of the action. childlike? yes, the first sight of them was most surprising, as they chose to wear costumes that are much closer to those of a British panto on speed than to Hoffmann’s original illustrations. white shirts with neon dots, high-vis, and a dazzling UV light, supporting Tim-Burton-esque reactive clown makeup. The delivery had streaks of genius to contrast the choice of attire, such as Little Suck-A-Thumb’s bleeding hands being renditioned with a red light and a stream of salt, followed by the triumphant use of balloons under a coarse jumper to shrink poor Augustus (who was oddly played by a girl) as he refused to eat his soup, and popped slowly to his emaciated death.
My opinion of the show may have been tainted by the fact that i had the book in my bag, and was familiar with the original illustrations, which excite me greatly. thus, expectations not met, so I reluctantly feel that i would offer them five stars, but only out of ten.
EdFringe.com Link: Struwwelpeter.
– Tobias Feltus
